Tales of Symphonia: Dark Tidings
by I.K.A. Valian
Summary: He didn't know his name, so they called him Gaar. Introduced to the horrors of the world by Desian hands, Gaar joins the Chosen on her journey to figure out this new world and why he figures so prominently into eveyone's schemes. Not a SelfInsert. R
1. Crash Landing

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

He was falling, that he knew from the amount of air that was rushing past him and a certain sense of weightlessness that he felt. He couldn't see anything because of the oppressive and complete darkness he was surrounded by. His numb skin kept him from feeling the tears rolling down and then flying off of his cheeks, but he still knew that he was crying. He was confused by these tears. He couldn't remember what they were for.

Suddenly, the darkness lifted in a flash and the boy was now falling through the sky. The sun-blinded boy reoriented his body so that he was falling face down, enabling him to see a bright blue ocean in every direction. The waves reflected the sun light coming from overhead creating a dancing light show in every direction. The air was warmer too, for the boy could now feel nerves returning to life in his body. As the boy fell, he silently admired the amazing ocean directly below him, enjoying the feeling of rushing warm air flying past him. Soon, the peninsula of a large land mass came into view, the boy could make out forests and meeting the ocean were huge cliffs.

When the boy's altitude was low enough, he could see a large structure in the middle of the forest, as well as a village nestled in the valley formed by a small mountain and a plateau on the opposite side. What caught the boy's attention next was a bright light coming from a stone structure sitting by itself next to the ocean. The boy was so distracted by the bright light that he didn't notice the ground he was going to crash into. His scream could be heard for miles, as well as the following explosion. Dirt and rocks exploded hundreds of feet into the air, forming a mini mushroom, and then came raining back down in a deadly storm of shrapnel and boulders.

The boy didn't know how long he was unconscious before he woke up in the center of a large crater. When he tried to move he found his entire body was covered by large and heavy rocks almost as big as him. Once realizing that he had no way of escaping, let alone moving, he began to feel his rocky prison closing in on him. He couldn't see anything, but he could feel the air becoming thicker, his breathing became labored as he struggled to free some part of his body. Panic, like a thrashing boar, found its way into his whole being as he screamed as loudly as he could, tears of abject terror fell freely down his face while he contemplated his demise in a small cramped space that wouldn't allow movement of any kind.

When the boy's voice had become so ragged that he could barely make anymore sounds, his mind recognized the futility of fighting circumstances larger than himself. His body went limp, his fighting spirit spent, and he lay there. All hope had deserted him when he heard the faintest of scratching sounds from above him. The will to live once again flared inside of his young body as he again started struggling, this time motivated not by panic but determination not to die in a place like this. The scratching grew closer to the struggling boy and then became a scratching and crunching as hands finally punched through the densely packed rock and touched the boy's head.

"I'm alive!" he tried to scream, but all that came out was croaking and wheezing as his dry throat attempted to and failed to form speech. Nonetheless, the person whose hand was touching his head heard him, yelling to everyone who was with him that he found someone. The boy then felt the hand leave only to feel more and more of the rocks lifted off of his entrapped body until he finally was lifted free of the hole formed exactly to his body. The group of ten formed a conveyor system, lifting the boy up and out of the crater and laying him down on the ground. The boy, happy to be alive and free of the dark prison he was just inhabiting, could only lay there and cry tears that would not come from his over used tear ducts.

"I can't believe he is alive," said an astonished woman, who had considerately placed a blanket over the boy's nude form.

"I don't know how he survived that explosion, he is one lucky lad," a nearby elderly man said. He turned and looked back into the crater. "That explosion was huge, I'm sure the Desians are going to send men to investigate this."

"Do you really think so Mayor?" asked a young man standing next to him.

"Yes, I'm certain of it. Anything like that might make them think they are under attack. We must not let them think our village is to blame," the mayor replied hastily. He walked quickly over to the boy who was still lying on the ground and kneeled down. He looked straight into the boys eyes and said, "I don't know who you are or where you came from, but I will not let the Desians think that we were harboring you. If for an instant they thought so, they would not hesitate to burn down the village once again." The mayor then looked up and addressed the rest of the people standing around him. "When the Desians come looking for the cause of the explosion, we will hand over the boy." This statement brought gasps from the three women there and hardening of expressions in the rest. "Hopefully, they will show leniency and spare the village. Let's not have a repeat of the last time the Desians came looking for someone." There was complete silence for a few moments as the mayor's words sunk in. "Now then," commanded the mayor, "Back to Iselia."

Four men picked up an arm and a leg of the boy each and started carrying him, the blanket laid on top of the boy flying off forcing a young woman to go chasing after it. The mayor led the group back toward the village. The boy saw smoldering fires and several black stalks of once vibrant evergreen trees as the four men carried him into Iselia. Some of the houses were still smoking while most had fire damage of some kind here and there. The only building that the boy being carried could find with no damage was a long building with lots of children inside of it, a school house he assumed. A young boy then came running at the ten adults who were carrying the boy, screaming in terror with tears flooding down his cheeks.

"Mommy, mommy!" the boy screamed, running over to the woman who was once again putting a blanket over the nude boy on the ground. "Mommy," her son cried again, "the Desians are coming back again, there are lots of them and they look mean, and I'm scared." The woman shushed her son as the villagers surrounding her immediately bolted into action. The men all went down one of the three pathways in Iselia to gather villagers who were not in the immediate area and lead them to the school house, while the women all ran to their homes to retrieve the children there or went directly into the school house. The mayor ran in the direction that the hysterical boy came from.

"What's going on?" asked the boy on the ground. The woman holding her crying son glanced sympathetically at the boy on the ground, and then ran into the school house. The boy then asked the same question to one of the men who carried a pitchfork around and he got nearly the same answer. The boy stood up and, holding the blanket around him, looked around him at the manic desperation the scrambling villagers. Down the left most pathway the boy saw an old woman standing hunched over a cane. He walked over to her and asked, "What is wrong with everyone?"

"Oh, my. Who might you be?" she asked calmly in response. The boy was visibly soothed by the calmness in the old woman's voice.

"I…" the boy stopped, confused. "I can't remember who I am." He looked at the old woman and asked, "Who are you?"

Kindly she said, "My name is Phaidra Brunel, but you can call me Phiadra." Phaidra then noticed the blanket that the boy was holding around himself. "Please come in. Let's see if we can find you something to wear." Phaidra turned and went into the rather nice house behind her. The boy glanced about him, noticing that the previous frantic village was now nearly deserted. Then, realizing that the door was left open for him, he rushed in and closed it behind him. The boy looked around the inside of the wooden house and saw a multitude of plant life, but the old woman had disappeared leaving him alone in the large room. The boy walked over to sit in a wooden chair. He placed his left hand on the large dining table while holding the blanket around his waist. He jumped out of that chair and almost lost his grip on the blanket when a man came down the stairs holding a white bundle of clothes and a pair of boots.

When the man handed the bundle to the boy he said, "The dress is my daughter's, I'm sorry I couldn't find anything that was your size. The pants and boots are my own though, I hope these aren't too large for you. It's too bad Genis isn't here, or we could have him lend you some of his clothes, you two seem to be the same age and size from what I can tell."

"Thank you, um…"

"Frank, and it's no problem at all. My daughter won't be back from the journey of regeneration for a … long while." After mentioning his daughter, the tall man seemed to dishearten in a way. But he visibly readjusted his features into smile with a deep breath. "Phaidra tells me that you don't know your name, why don't we make one up." The boy had just buttoned up the blue trimmed white dress and started working on the brown pants. Without looking up, the boy nodded in answer to Frank's offer. "How about Gaar, it supposed mean mystery," Frank offered.

"Gaar, Gaar," the boy said, testing the sound of the word, "yeah, I think that will work. Thank you for the clothing."

"Oh, you're quite welcome." Frank smiled when he saw that the dress acted more like full length robes. He turned to the window and looked out into the village. "Oh! What happened to the villagers?"

The boy crouched down to tie up the boots and asked, "Umm, if you don't mind me asking, what are Desians?"

Frank's face showed surprise for an instant before he replied. "I see, so it was Desians that caused the villagers to vanish. They tend to have that effect on folks round here, after what they did last time." Frank turned around and walked toward the table. Gaar stood up and looked at his new appearance as best he could, twisting back and forth several times. "I'm sure you saw the fire damage all over town," Frank continued.

"The Desians really did that? To the entire town even? I heard the people who saved me talking about it." Gaar looked astonished that anyone would purposely burn down a town.

Frank nodded to the boy's questions. "They blew up two homes last time and set fire to the rest of the village. They claimed it was punishment for breaking a non-aggression treaty Iselia has with them. Of course, they could have burned the village anyway, regardless of anything the villagers might have done to them." Franks disgust with the Desians was apparent to Gaar in the way he sarcastically described them.

Silence stuffed the room until there was a knock at the door, which caused both occupants of the room to jump an inch. Frank stood up and headed to the door saying, "Let me handle this." He opened the wooden door and stood in a way so that whoever was outside would not be able to see inside. "How may I help you Mayor," Frank inquired.

"I'm here for the boy. I want to take him to the square and present him to the Desians," came the gruff reply from the mayor. They mayor tried to push past Frank but he stood his ground. "Please move out of the way Frank."

"Mayor, the last time we tried to appease the Desains, they broke it themselves and then blamed us for breaking it later just so they could burn half of Iselia down. What makes you think that–"

"Don't," and then in a more quiet voice, "argue with me Frank. You know perfectly well that the Non-aggression treaty was for the benefit of your daughter."

"And of course, the village also benefited from my daughters protection, living carefree while the Desians butcher people in their ranch. Don't act so self-righteous, the only reason that you are want to hand over the boy is to save your own hide." Frank finished and glared at the mayor. The mayor glared back.

Finally, the mayor said, "Is it so wrong to sacrifice one person's well being so that others may live." That seemed to break Frank's will as his shoulders slumped and he moved to the side, which let the mayor and two guards carrying pitchforks into the house. The guards walked over to the boy and leveled their weapons at the boy while the mayor just said, "Now come with us boy." One of the guards poked Gaar in the back, who shot forward a few feet and then, rubbing his back, started out the door. Gaar looked at Frank who gave him a look as if to say 'I'm Sorry'. Gaar just nodded in return.

"It's alright." Gaar said. "Thank you for your kindness." Gaar walked out the door with the two guards right on his heel. The mayor stayed behind to talk to Frank a little while longer. Gaar was escorted to the front of the village where six men stood in linear formation. They stood as still as would be expected from basic military training.

As soon as the Iselian guards had brought Gaar to stand just in front of them, the right most soldier said, "Stop. We claim the boy that the mayor has told us caused the disturbance and escort him back to the Iselia Ranch. Hand him over." The two guards behind Gaar poked him one more time, pushing him closer to the six soldiers, and then stepped backwards. "You have been identified as subject # 7834, you will be sent to the Iselia Ranch for processing and assignment. Hold out your hands, Human." Gaar's face twisted when the disgust in the soldiers voice.

"Are you Desians," Gaar asked, his hands kept at his side. He stared directly at the one who was speaking before. However, it was one of the soldiers in the middle who answered when he took his whip off of his belt.

"The commander said hold out your hands, WORM!" the whip wielding soldier said. Then he lashed the boy along the arm, which left a rip in the white sleeve of the dress. Gaar cried out in pain.

"How come you burned the village," Gaar asked through clenched teeth.

"Arrgh!" The Desian started whipping the boy faster and harder, enunciating after each whiplash, "You. Filthy. Human! When. You. Are. Told. What. To. Do! Do. It! You. Filthy. Pathetic. Human!" When the Desian finished with his assault on the young boy, he stood hunched over, breathing heavy from the exertion. Gaar was left on the ground in a fetal position covered from head to toe in welts, cuts, bruises, and blood spots. The tears in the dress and pants fluttered in the slight breeze.

"Chain him and _escort_ him back to the ranch." said the commander, who turned and walked out of the village followed closely by two other Desians. Two of the Desians that were holding the chain linked cuffs walked over to Gaar and attached them around his wrists. The Desian who was whipping Gaar chuckled before he turned around and followed the commander, a broad smile plastered on his face. The two Desians who chained the unconscious boy grabbed the chain connecting his wrists and dragged his bloodied form behind them as they left Iselia. Smears of blood were left behind by Gaar's wounds as the Desians dragged him away.


	2. Abnormal Power

Wow, I got a review on the first day I posted the story :) That, and it was a realy nice one too! Thanks Contraltissimo! On with the story!

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

"Open the main gate," shouted the Desian commander. A cold gust blew threw Gaar's hair and tattered clothing as he stood behind the commander with his hands shackled at his back. Five Desian soldiers were standing around him. Blood dripped from several scratches and a deep gash in one of the soldier's forehead. The bloodied soldier made a scowl every time a drop of bright crimson dripped from his eyebrows into his eye, which made the whites go red with irritation.

"Next time, watch out for the Giant Bee's nest, moron," chuckled the Desian soldier to Gaar's right.

"I still don't get why I am the only one who was attacked. It was this filthy human who destroyed the nest. But instead of attacking this worthless pile of human crap, they all come after me," exclaimed the bloody one.

"Quit your whining! Here comes lord Forcystus." The Desian commander and the five Desian soldiers all immediately stood at attention. A blue haired man with a long barrel on his arm and an eye patch approached the group of Desians and Gaar at a leisurely pace. Upon reaching the group he stared at the cut up Desian soldier before he turned to the commander.

"What took you so long, I was expecting you to report back _much _sooner, and why are you not wearing the proper helmet _commander_," Forcystus growled.

"Sir, we were on schedule, escorting the prisoner back to the ranch, when a hoard of angry Giant Bees attacked us and we were forced to defend ourselves. The prisoner attempted to escape while we were being attacked relentlessly. After we dealt with the Giant Bees, we tracked down and re-apprehended the prisoner. And I uh… am having the feathers re-implanted, Sir!" The Commander stood as still as a twig stuck in the sand during a hurricane as Forcystus stared straight at him.

"Right," Forcystus said. He then made a cursory glance at the rest of the soldiers and then turned and walked back into the ranch. "Take the prisoner directly to processing. And have those cuts looked at Mauler, before anymore Giant Bees decide that you're pissing them off, which will in turn, piss me off. The rest of you get back to your duties."

"You heard Lord Forcystus, get to it!" The commander turned and followed Forcystus into the ranch. Mauler wiped some of the blood from his head before kicking Gaar in the back of the legs, which knocked the boy into forward motion.

"Stupid human," grumbled Mauler. The other four Desian soldiers around Gaar all moved as one, pulling Gaar into the ranch. The large gates closed, metal grinding on metal, until they slammed shut with a resounding thud. Gaar was escorted into a doorway at the very back of the inner courtyard. Gaar squinted to see when he moved from the bright sun-lit courtyard into the darkened interior of the ranch. His irises dilated wide when they laid upon the handfuls of bedraggled and dirty people working in the chamber he was being escorted through. He wrinkled his nose and nearly choked when he smelled the hot sweaty, putrid atmosphere and some of the people he passed. A couple of the dirty workers hacked and coughed something terrible every few seconds before going back to what they were doing. The lights barley illuminated the occupants of the room. Gaar stained his eyes to see the people farther away than a few feet.

"Who…why…how could you do such a thing? This is horrible!" Gaar was cuffed up side the back of his head in response to his question.

"Shaddup human, else _you'll_ be doing worse," the Desian to Gaar's right sneered. Gaar was about to look through the door way he was being escorted through when he caught sight of a small girl coughing so bad that blood was dripping down from the corner of her mouth.

"H-hey, that girl needs help!" Gaar shouted and tried to break away from his Desian entourage to get to the girl. Gaar made it two feet before he felt a sharp crack to the back of his head. He fell to the dirty and stained floor and grabbed his head with both hands as the pain started to radiate. He stopped breathing because of the intensity of the fire raging on his skull grew to its peak before lessening gradually.

"Next time I tell ya ta shaddup, Shaddup," screamed the Desian as he kicked Gaar in the ribs. Gaar took in a shaky breath before he felt himself being dragged through the door he was once being escorted through. The last thing he saw before he passed out was the little girl being whipped by another Desian for not working which caused her to cough harder.

Gaar woke up with his hands chained above him, his feet suspended about a foot above the floor, and he could see three Desians around him but couldn't hear them. He winced when he felt the pain at the back of his head. A blue light moved up and down Gaar's body rapidly and every time the light passed his head, the Desian seated behind the console that showed a holographic image of Gaar's body would point and say something excitedly while the two others would say something or nod their heads.

"Let me down," Gaar shouted, but the Desians didn't even register that they heard him. Gaar twisted and swung about before he noticed that the Desians outside saw his frustration and were holding their guts as they laughed, but he was confused when he realized that he couldn't hear them. Gaar sighed and stopped his struggle, and a few seconds later, the floor seemed to rise up to his feet and he was once again standing. The air around Gaar shimmered for two seconds before the sounds of the room about him came flooding in.

"-will be transferred to Asgard Ranch for Exsphere implantation and observation," one Desian was explaining to a Desian dressed up in a fancy helmet with large yellow feather fans that waved about on top of it. The Desian who listened to the instructions nodded, the feathers on his helmet swayed back and forth elegantly with the abrupt movements, before he turned toward Gaar and sneered at the boy.

"Why is this _worm_ looking at me like that, no fear at all? We shall have to…_rearrange_ this insect's attitude before he is transferred." Gaar stared at the Desian before he wondered how the Desian would try to rearrange his attitude.

Gaar's musing was cut off when the Desian behind the hologram consol said, "Oh no Commander Ggrif, he must be sent to Asgard Ranch immediately. Research on this subject has been deemed priority one." Commander Ggrif huffed before walking over to Gaar and grabbed the chain linking his hands.

"This slime is just lucky isn't he," Commander Ggrif said before he jerked the chain roughly. Gaar was pulled forward with the commander as he walked calmly out of the room. Gaar looked around in wonder as he was lead down hallway after hallway. The commander walked as one would in their home, one hand on Gaar's chain and the other at his side, the feathers on his helmet swayed back as he pulled Gaar forward.

Gaar stumbled once and launched forward into Commander Ggrif. The commander fell to the floor with a grunt before he quickly got back up and turned growling to Gaar with an ugly grimace. "You insignificant little insect, how dare you strike me, a Superior half-elf," the commander shouted.

"So you're a half-elf, huh," Gaar asked while he tried to stand up without the use of his hands. Commander Ggrif's face turned red in a flash. He immediately stuck his boot into Gaar's face, hard.

"Don't you ever talk to a superior half-elf, Slime," Commander Ggrif shouted before he turned and started dragging Gaar behind him into the room at the end of the hallway they were in. The commander swung Gaar around by the chain into the middle of a circular platform and yelled, "Get this _crap_ out of my sight, send it to Asgard Ranch NOW!" The Desian behind the console on the other side of the room looked shocked for a few seconds before he rushed to warm up the machine. Gaar sat up and wiped the blood dripping from his nose on the remains of the dress' sleeve.

"I don't know … how much more of this … I can take," Gaar said as he looked at the blood. The sight of the blood triggered a thought process and brought to mind all that Gaar had seen the Desians do, to him and to others. His imagination flared to life and showed him all the ways he could punish the Desians in return for the harm they inflicted, the torture they imparted. All of these thought, images, and feelings coalesced into one feeling, something that Gaar had no recollection of ever feeling before, Hate.

Gaar looked at Commander Ggrif and smiled. The commander looked back and the sneer on his face slowly changed to one of surprise, then fear. Commander Ggrif began to visibly shake when he saw the look in Gaar's eyes. "I am going to enjoy getting my revenge," Gaar whispered just loud enough for Commander Ggrif to hear. The Commander's eyes went wide in fear as he felt an abnormally large amount of mana swell within the human boy's body.

Gaar could feel his emotions running out of control, but he didn't care, he wanted to see the Desian suffer as he had suffered, as the village had suffered, as all those people working to death suffer right now, as that little girl suffered. Gaar wanted revenge, justice, and recompense. Yes, Gaar could feel the energy in the emotion, and he urged it on, making it bigger, larger, giant!

"What is this," Commander Ggrif screamed as an unseen wind began blowing in gale force. "No! It can't be! Humans can't control mana. They can't even touch it! But then, how?"

Gaar screamed as the energy left his body and formed a massive bolt of glowing gold energy that shot straight toward Commander Ggrif. The Desian technician behind the control consol let loose a shrill, blood curdling scream fit for any woman worth her grit as he watched Gaar pass out and Commander Ggrif disintegrate while he screamed in terror, pain, and fear. The technician passed out, his head fell directly onto the activation panel, which sparked several times before the system activated. Gaar's body slowly disappeared into thin air, which left the room in complete silence save for the hum that the machinery gave off.

* * *

Heavy footsteps on the wooden planks of the pier came to a stop. "Hey," shouted the man to anyone that was within earshot, "look at that light." The man pointed to a shimmering blue ball of light above the lake. "How high do you think that is," the man asked one of the people that ran up next to him.

"I dunno, maybe fifteen feet or so. Wow, I've never seen anything like that before." The second man responded. Soon a crowd of people had gathered on the wooden pier and stared at the ball of light as it shimmered.

"Wow Mommy, it looks like water," said a little girl who sat on a woman's shoulders.

The crowd murmured and a few hands pointed at the light which soon started to fade. A chorus of 'look's' from adults and some disappointed 'aww's' from children drove through the crowd as they stared at the light which was neared invisibility. Then, suddenly, the ball of light exploded in a deafening boom which flattened anyone standing on the pier. Some, who were standing on the edges of the pier, were pushed into the water, while others just fell onto the people who were behind them.

The entire village was in chaos as fireballs streaked left and right from unknown attackers. A man who was lying down on the pier got up and tried to run across the wooden bridge connected to the island that held the local Church of Martel. He only got his left foot in front of his right once before a lightning bolt fell from the sky and burnt the man to a crisp. The people on the bridge screamed and ran across ether one of the two bridges in their attempt to get out of the line of fire and onto dry land. Some of them didn't make it, the few that had fallen into the lake tried to climb back up onto the pier, but as soon as they stood up, they were taken down. A huge lightning bolt shot into the lake and electrocuted the rest of the people still swimming.

In front of the Phoenix Inn, a group of Desians materialized. One, whom was wearing a helmet with two fans of yellow feathers on top of it, started pointing and shouting, the soldiers around him immediately moved into action. The Desians spread out through the village and checked the housed in a systematic order. On their way through, the Desians took pride when holes were blown into walls, sidewalks, bridges. Villager's screams and pleas made them smile contentedly. The commander stood and watched his subordinates do their work. He lifted his hand up to his mouth and pressed a red button on a device he was holding.

"Lord Kvar, this is Commander Ikarus reporting in," the Desian said into the comm. Device as he nonchalantly took out his sword and chopped off the head of a panicked villager who tried to get past him and out of the village. When the villagers behind the now dead one saw what the commander did, they immediately turned around and ran into the burning Phoenix Inn.

"Ahh, Commander, how long do you believe it will take to round up the survivors and destroy what's left of Luin," replied a chillingly monotonous voice.

Commander Ikarus glanced around the village and saw one of his men kicking a yipping dog into the lake, a sorcerer setting fire to a house on another island, and a few Whip masters and a Spearman destroying the fountain. "Sir, we should be on our way back to the ranch in about twelve hours. A good amount of the villagers are still alive, so there should be plenty of new Exsphere subjects soon."

"Excellent, Commander Ikarus. Continue in this way and you might one day be made one of the Five Grand Cardinals. Kvar, out." Static burst from the comm. device before Commander Ikarus shut it down. He smiled as he shouted, "All right men, round 'em up!"

* * *

A body slowly began to fade into existence above the fountain in Luin. The Desians failed to notice the body, but did notice the splash that came when it fell. One of the Desians stuck her spear into the water and started moving it about.

"What do ya think 'tis," asked a Whip master to the Spearman's right. She shrugged her shoulders when a hand popped out of the water and grabbed the spear. The hand tried to pull the spear into the water with it, but the Spearman held fast onto her weapon. This stopped when the Spearman was lifted into the air and pulled into the water with her weapon. The other Desians who were busy destroying the face and wall of the fountain stopped their work and watched the Spearman wrestle with someone.

"Having trouble with one of the local's," asked one of the spectators. The Spearman grunted in reply her waterlogged armor began to get heavier which increased the strain on her arms as she tried to hold on, now for dear life. She eventually lost her grip and was sent spiraling out of the fountain into the lake, the spear disappear into the fountain and Gaar's head popped up in its place.

"Look, there's a kid in there. Hahahaha. She was beat by some filthy human." The Whip master pointed and laughed with the rest of his comrades at the spear-less Spearman as she grumbled and started swimming toward the pier. "Come on guys, lets show her how it's done," said the Whip master as he turned back. "Hey, where'd he go?"

"Hey, Ugly," Gaar shouted as he ran full tilt at the Desian. The Whip master turned and was skewered easily by Gaar onto the spear. Gaar had put so much force behind the thrust that he skewered the four other Desians with the same thrust as well.

All the Desians groaned and fell to the ground and then rolled into the lake. Gaar looked around for the next target and gasped when he saw tens of Desians swarming over the rest of the village killing, maiming, and plundering. Gaar felt the hate swell within him again when he heard a shushing sound behind him, suppressing the extreme feeling. Gaar turned and noticed a small group of people hidden behind one of the stone benches. He walked over to them and said, "It's ok, the coast is clear."

The group slowly stood up. The man in front of the group said, "Thank you. Thank you for saving my family," he motioned toward the four others, a little girl, two boys, and an elderly woman. "I don't know who you are, but thank you, and may the Goddess Martel protect you." Gaar smiled at the man who smiled back and then turned back to his family. He motioned for them to move toward a wooden bridge connecting the island they were on to the mainland.

Suddenly a shout sounded from the direction of the village. Gaar turned with the family and saw six Desians point at them and then come running. Gaar turned to the man and his family and yelled, "Go! Get your family out of here. I'll distract them." Gaar pointed vigorously toward the mainland. The man nodded and rushed his family onto and over the bridge. Gaar turned back to face the oncoming Desians. Growling he shouted, "I won't let you _Desian _lay a hand on them." The oncoming Desians barely broke stride and ran right past Gaar faster than he could get in their way.

"Hey, kid, lets play." Gaar turned to see one Desian had stayed behind to fight him. Gaar turned back around to see the man and his family being apprehended halfway across the bridge. "Heh heh, it's useless to resist kid, you either come with us, or die," the Desian behind Gaar spat derisively. Gaar turned back around and felt the hot fever of the hate he felt before rising within him. The Desian laughed at Gaar, and then laughed harder when he was knocked unconscious by a Desian coming back with the writhing family man over his shoulder. "Heh, stupid human," the Desian jeered as Gaar's unconscious body fell into the water. The Desian turned and headed back into the main part of the village.


	3. Burial at Dawn

I noticed some things wrong with this chapter, time line stuff and some wording in other places, so I am reposting again...

I also want to thank Contraltissimo again for all of your enthusiasim over this story, it's very encouraging.

And since this is an update, I can add stuff, like this.

Thank you Tobiasa for reviewing. Your enthusiasim is appreciated also. I even got five points... wonder what I should do with them...

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

The Tethe'allan lunar light illuminated the smoke that rose into Sylvarant's starlit sky. The lake's surface broke once in a while when a fish surfaced and shot back beneath the lakes calm exterior. Sound seemed to stand still, it was far too quiet. Nature seemed to stand in awe of the carnal destruction laid before it, not daring to move for fear of shredding the memory of what was. Bodies, some smoking, some not, dotted the surface of the lake, marring the pristine waters. A sudden puff of smoke rose from the ground in front of the hollowed out, charred husk of the Phoenix Inn, the form of a woman slowly took shape as the smoke blew away.

"What the!" The woman gasped sharply as she looked over the burnt remains of the village, smelled the acrid smoke of burning wood, and heard the unnatural silence. A beam that was now no more than a burning ember, broke off and fell from the roof of one of the house like skeletons to the right of the woman. The pink bow tied around the middle of her purple robe fluttered lightly in the wind. The woman's brown eyes scanned the village with expert precision as the small pink ribbon that held her wild black hair together strained under the pressure.

The woman walked through the burnt village and carefully made her way along the outermost path. The eerie silence was broken when part of a building started to collapse where the woman was standing. She quickly jumped away as the burned timbers came crashing down and fell into the lake. The woman shook her head and continued to make her way to the fountain area and looked out across the lake to the now inaccessible island where even more burned houses stood.

"Mmmnn…" The woman turned quickly and saw a man leaning against the destroyed fountain wall. He had blood all over his body and a wound on his leg larger than the woman's hand. The woman ran over to the man and helped him to sit down and lean against a part of the fountain wall that was still solid.

"What happened here," the woman asked as she brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face.

The man looked at her for a few seconds, dazed. Then he bolted up right, nearly knocking the woman over, and screamed. "Desians, Desians, they're everywhere, they're everywhere," the man frantically screamed.

"Hey, hey, calm down will ya, there are no Desians left." The panicked man tried to get up. "Hey you shouldn't try to move, your leg can't support your weight," the woman said as she pushed the man back down. "Tell me," she said as she ripped a piece of cloth she pulled from inside of her robe, "what the heck happened here. Last time I was here, the villagers were so nice, this place was so peaceful."

"I was on a pilgrimage," the man said while he looked around at the burnt village and calmed down. "This village was aiding people who escaped from the nearby ranch. The Desians found out and… well, this is what happens when you cross the Desians, they came in and destroyed everything, then took everybody left alive to the ranch." The traveler hung his head low. "I only got here after they had been sacking the village for a day already. Three of them attacked me but I faked death so they left without taking me."

"A-after seeing this," the woman stood up and looked around the smoking village, then said, "I… I don't know if I can really do it."

"Huh? Do what?" The man looked at the woman curiously.

"Uhm… nothing. I'm going to bury the remains of the villagers. You might not want to stay here, the Desians might come back." The woman started making her way toward the main part of the village.

"But what about you? What if they do come back?" The man picked up his fallen walking stick and heaved himself up, then looked back at the woman.

"Don't worry about it, I'm a big girl, I can take care of a few measly Desians." The woman waved nonchalantly as she continued on her way to the main part of the village, the big pink bow on her back waving lightly in the wind.

The sun had risen. The woman sat next to the lukewarm body of a Desian and wiped the blood off the sides of her mana infused cards on the Whip master's blue uniform. Once they were clean enough for her, she put them into her robe. Sighing, she stood up and rolled the Desian's body into the freshly dug pit.

"And you thought you could take me on, huh big boy," the woman said, patting the dead Desian on back, then she stood up and heaved dirt onto the body until there was a mound of dirt about a foot high. She glanced over to the twenty-two graves next to the burned up Phoenix Inn and sighed. The woman got up and walked back toward the fountain.

"Just a few more to go and I should be done." When she got to the fountain she noticed that a traveler that stood next to the ruined fountain. He stared slack jawed at the burnt remains of the village, tried to form words, but nothing came out. The woman just walked past him and stopped at the edge of the island.

"Desians. Better leave before they come back again. Already fended off three scouting parties." The woman didn't turn around to face the traveler. Instead she kept her eyes on the lake as she scanned for bodies that she might have missed. After a few more minutes of staring, the traveler turned and quickly walked away with the urgency of a cat on fire.

A body floated into view from under the bridge which caused the woman to sigh. "Damn, I thought I got them all." She got down on her knees and reached for the body as it floated within range. Once she got a grip on the ripped sleeves of the white dress, she hauled the body up and onto the land with a splash.

"Sheena!" The name seemed to float out of thin air, but the woman looked up expectantly. A small, tan, fuzzy creature with a wide blue tail materialized in front of the woman. "Sheena, this boy isn't dead!"

"Well, gee Corrine, I _needed_ you to tell me that." Sheena rolled her eyes and leaned down to listen for the boy's breath.

"Sheena, this boy has weird mana. It's as if he repels the mana in the water and the air." Corrine waved his tail up and down a few times before disappearing. "Look out Sheena, monsters are coming!"

Sheena sat up and stared at the empty space where Corrine was. "Corrine! What do you mean he repels mana?" A rather loud growl startled Sheena and made her jump. A gigantic Grasshopper came at her with a furious roar. Sheena pulled out her mana infused cards and attacked the monster. She slashed the oversized insect across the face, caused it to scream, and opened a wound that oozed green goo. Side stepping quickly to the right of the Grasshopper, she sliced off one of its mandibles and half of the front leg. The monster screamed in agony and fell to the ground, writhing in its last throes of death. Finally, it fell silent as died, green goo oozed from its wounds as the insect slowly disappeared. Another growl came from the village. Sheen a grunted and moved back over to the unconscious Gaar.

"Hey, come on kid wake up," she insistently said as soft as she could. Gaar slowly opened his eyes and looked at Sheena, who smiled back at him before she stood up and pulled Gaar with her. "Run!" she shouted while pointing toward the mainland. Gaar was about to argue when Sheena pushed him toward the bridge. Gaar looked back, but reluctantly kept going. He reached the other side, stepping onto the mainland and looked back at the destroyed village. Tears slid down his cheeks and his breathing became shorter.

"Damn it," he said. "I… I couldn't stop them… Damn it."

Back across the bridge, Gaar noticed Sheena fighting several Giant Beetles, Grasshoppers, and a spider. She whittled down the number of opponents until she was facing a lone Grasshopper. She was about to jump over the insect when she tripped and crashed to the ground right in front of it. Gaar heard her screams over the lake as she was cut up by the grasshopper. A small furry creature appeared out of no where and bashed the Grasshopper in the head before disappearing again. Sheena had in the mean time, gotten up, and while holding her side, she slashed the grasshopper in half.

Gaar moved to run back across the bridge when he heard something snort behind him. Gaar slowly turned around and came face to face with a very large fowl. Blue feathers went flying as it flapped its stunted wings. It stared at Gaar for a few minutes, Gaar stared back. Finally, the creature gave out a 'skreee' and started walking back into the forest. Then Gaar sneezed. The giant bird froze, then whipped around and started toward Gaar again, a frenzied look appeared in its avian eyes and its wings flapped harder. Gaar sneezed again and his now red eyes started watering. Gaar continued to sneeze and sniffed when he felt his nose start to run profusely. The bird got up to Gaar who had his eyes closed and pecked at his head, but missed because he had sneezed and his head was thrown back. The bird's beak made a loud thud when it hit the ground. Gaar looked down and realized that the giant bird was attacking him.

His red, puffy, wet eyes went wide. He turned and ran onto the bridge. The bird followed him but it couldn't fit onto the walkway because of the railing. Gaar turned when he realized the bird wasn't following him any more. He saw the bird was stuck between the two railings and was struggling to get free.

"Ha ha," Gaar mocked then he laughed at the whole situation before he sneezed hard three times, then laughed again. The Cockatrice stopped struggling and glared at Gaar. The beast let loose a loud 'skreeeaaaaaaw' and snapped both railings, sending them flying. It hopped up onto the railing and ran at the surprised Gaar. Gaar barely had time to duck as the bird snapped at his head. 'Skreeeaaaaw' the bird squawked again. Gaar didn't wait for it to snap at his head again, he turned and ran as fast as he could toward the island. The bird watched Gaar run for about two seconds before it squawked again and followed. Gaar kept running into the railing as he rubbed his tortured eyes, trying to clear them. He made it to the end of the bridge and sneezed so hard that his feet left the ground and he flew into the person who stood in front of the fountain. Both Gaar and the person he ran into fell to the ground, the Cockatrice got to the end of the railing and hopped down. It again attempted to take off Gaar's head when it was sliced along the neck by a flying Chakram. The bird screamed as another Chakram sliced the same spot on the opposite side of the bird's neck, then another down its back, and then finally, one of its legs was cut off. Blood flowed freely out of the bird until it disappeared with a pitiful 'skree…'

Gaar stood up and kept wiping his eyes but stopped when a kind voice said, "Here, let me help you with that." Gaar waited a few seconds when the same voice said commandingly, "Recover!" Gaar's eyes immediately cleared up, his nose stopped draining its excess mucus, and he lost the urge to sneeze.

"Th-thank you, umm…" Gaar opened his clenched eyes and looked at a tall woman dressed in a brown coat. He stared at her silver hair before looking into her happy, but confused eyes.

"Raine, and don't mention it." The silver haired woman said. Gaar turned to the person he ran into and saw that he had already gotten up, his dark clothing and split end cape no worse for the wear. The tall man brushed himself off and shook the dirt out of his dark hair.

Gaar walked up to the man and said, "Sorry I ran into-"

"Don't worry about it. I am unhurt and the creature that was pursuing you has been defeated," the man said abruptly.

"Ahh…yeah, who defeated that thing anyway?" Gaar turned around and looked at the rest of the people standing around him. He looked at Sheena, and then at a short silver haired boy about his height, the boy's clothing caught his eye. Then person who stood next to him had two swords at his hips and red was what stuck out about him, his clothing was very red. Next to the swordsman Gaar saw a bright, blue-eyed, smiling blond girl.

The blond girl spoke up, "That's me, I got that one. I hope you're ok, I'm sorry that thing was chasing you. My name is Colette." Gaar looked at her funny. "Oh, what's the matter, I'm sorry did I say something wrong?"

Gaar shook his head. "I was going to say you remind me of the person who gave me these clothes. What was his name…Fron…Funk…Frank! His name was Frank." Now Colette looked at Gaar funny.

The boy with the two swords raised his right eyebrow in enlightenment. "You know, Colette's father is named Frank too."

Raine sighed and shook her head, the dark haired man groaned, Colette smiled, and the silver haired boy threw his hands over his head and yelled, "Lloyd, this guy istalking about Colette's father!"

"Shut up Genis," Lloyd shouted back to the silver haired boy.

"Nyaaa…" Genis stuck out his tongue and pulled out his bottom left eyelid.

Lloyd clenched his fist and through clenched teeth said, "Why I oughta..."

"Enough!" Raine's voice carried over the two boy's argument and lulled them into silence. "Honestly, you two act so immature." The two boys let out small 'eeps.'

"So you know my father?" Colette smiled and Gaar smiled back. "I thought that dress looked familiar. Hehe."

"If he lives in Iselia then yeah, but the Desians ripped it up…damn them…" The emotion in Gaar's voice caught the attention of the tall dark haired man, but he didn't say anything. "He also gave me my name, since I can't remember what it was."

Everyone stared at Gaar expectantly, even the dark haired man looked mildly curious. Gaar coughed then said, "He suggested Gaar, said it meant mystery." The dark haired man's eyes flashed before he looked disinterested again, and Colette's eyes lit up in recognition, as did Raine's.

"It's Angelic," Colette said.

Raine piped up, "It more accurately means 'he who has no recollection'."

"Hey, I want to ask favor of you guys." Everyone turned to Sheena. "I know it's selfish, unreasonable thing to say at this point, but um…I owe the people of this city for food and lodging. Please. Help me save these people. If you agree, I'll declare a truce with you and help in anyway I can."

After a moment's hesitation, Lloyd said, "All right."

"Lloyd, are you serious?" If Raine's tone of voice wasn't enough, her face showed just how incredulous she thought this situation was. She turned and looked at Lloyd's face only to find his face set, his decision made.

Colette smiled and said cheerfully, "I agree with Lloyd."

Raine turned to Colette and said mournfully, "Colette, not you too!"

"Kratos," Lloyd said as he turned to the darkly dressed man, "What about you?"

"I see no problem with it," the man responded.

Then Genis turned to Raine and said apologetically, "Ah…um…I'm sorry, Raine." Raine threw her hands up into the air, defeated.

"Fine! Do as you wish. I suppose if we look at it another way, it does mean we can keep a close eye on her." Raine turned to face Gaar and said, "But, what are we to do with Gaar. We can't just leave him alone in this forsaken place."

"Hey, I can take care of myself." Gaar stood defiantly, hands on his hips, and eyes blazing.

Kratos snorted, "Right, and I suppose that Cockatrice was just asking you for directions." Gaar glared at Kratos and was about to say something when Lloyd cut him off.

"Don't let him get to you, he does that to everyone." Lloyd then joined Gaar and glared at Kratos.

Kratos just huffed and disinterestedly said, "Right."

"We could take him to Asgard," Genis offered, "I'm sure Linar and Aisha would take care of him."

"Yes, that does sound like the best plan," Raine added.

"What," Lloyd shouted. "We can't give up on the ranch now, all the people of Luin are counting on us."

"Lloyd's right, how can we abandon them now," cried Colette.

"Ugh, Kratos, what do you think we should do with him?" Raine pointed at Gaar. Kratos shrugged and walked over to lean against the broken fountain wall. "Ugh… Fine, we can take Gaar to the road that leads to the House of Salvation, and then we head for the ranch while Gaar heads toward Asgard. Got it, good, now let's go." Not giving anyone a chance to argue with her, Raine turned and quickly made her way toward burnt remains of Luin. Gaar shrugged and ran after her followed closely by Genis and Colette, leaving Lloyd and Kratos.

"Finally …" Lloyd looked down at the back of his right hand, a red jewel sat there. "I will avenge you mom," he said to the jewel, before he turned and ran after the others. Kratos watched this impassively before turning and following at his own slow pace.

The group of six left Luin and walked in silence for thirty minutes. Lloyd brooded to himself silently, Colette hummed while skipping, Genis walked with his hands supporting the back of head, Sheena talked with her furry friend, Gaar walked while staring about him in awe at the countryside, and Kratos walked in stiff silence. Suddenly Raine stopped in the middle of the road and pointed toward the forest off to their left.

"That is the way to the Ranch, and that," she said, pointing down the road, "is the way to Asgard. Gaar, we bid you Adieu." Raine started off toward the forest, Kratos walked quickly behind her. Genis, Lloyd, and Colette turned to Gaar.

"Hey, we'll see you around some time," Lloyd said before he turned and started walking toward the forest.

"Yeah, I hope we meet up again," Genis added and followed after Lloyd.

"Please be careful, and I'm sorry we couldn't take you to Asgard ourselves, it's just…"

"It's ok," Gaar cut in, "I understand. You go save those villagers." Colette smiled at him and ran to catch up with Genis and Lloyd. Gaar watched them disappear into the tree line before he turned and looked down the pathway. Birds chirped and flew overhead as a breeze blew across the flat plain. Gaar looked back at the forest, then back down the road, then back at the forest. Gaar lowered his head and said in a low and angry voice, "Damn Desian!" Gaar's head shot up and he ran toward the tree line, disappearing into the mess of shrubbery and other plant growth.


	4. The Nature of Hate and Hope

This chapter was a hard one to write. It is definitly an emotional one. On with the story!

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia." – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

The tall trees in the forest around the Ranch swayed lazily in the Asgardian breeze. Two squirrels chased one another up and down a tree's trunk playfully. An old Owl sat on his aged branch and slept soundly. Tranquility like this, Gaar had neither seen nor felt before. Quietness filled his soul and made him, for an instant, forget all the wrongs he thought upon moments before. But it was an instant later that the familiar anger came back full tilt and Gaar's eyes hardened. 

"I'll kill them, all of them." Gaar looked around where he was standing. "But first," he confusedly admitted, "I have to figure out where they are." Gaar scratched his head and looked at the owl for directions. The owl stood on its branch with its head tucked beneath one wing, looking like a statue. Then, ever so slightly, it moved one foot, and again was still. Gaar in the mean him went straight ahead. He pushed bushes and snapped twigs as he went. He was about to push past another bush, this one as big as a tree, when he heard voices and quickened footsteps. Gaar kneeled down and crawled under the bush far enough so that he could see the feet of the three people approaching. Then he heard them speaking.

"-be able to find where he is." The one who was speaking stopped and then the one in the middle started.

"To reiterate, we must infiltrate the Asgard Ranch to find the experiment that Kvar was carrying out on the boy. He fell somewhere on Sylvarant and he must be found before he is recaptured by Lord Yggdrasill. The only record on the boy is in that experiment, hopefully, it will include his mana signature which will allow us to locate him."

The man who hadn't said anything turned to the man in the middle and said, "I'm sorry I was unable to rescue the boy, Lord Botta. He was right there and the only thing I was able to do was-" The three men were then too far away for Gaar to hear anything. Gaar lay under the bush for a few seconds before he crawled out and looked around. He stood in the middle of a worn pathway grown over with weeds, the air seemed stale. Gaar looked up at the large bushes that lined either side of the path and completely blocked the walkway from the outside.

"Those guys were headed to the ranch," Gaar spoke to himself in a low voice. "I bet if I follow them, they'll lead me straight to it." The three others who had passed were already out of sight, so Gaar started down the path in the same direction without looking over his shoulder. Eventually he came to a clearing and stopped in the middle, staring at each of the tree paths he could take in turn. Gaar shrugged and moved to go down the middle path.

"Ack…" Gaar stopped, and looked down the right most path. He waited for a few seconds and then shrugged again.

"Great, now I'm imagining things," he said. He moved his right leg forward to take a step.

"Aaahh…." Gaar stopped and looked back and forth between the center and right path, lost in indecision.

"Now I know I heard something…but which way should I-"

"Whoa…."

Gaar nodded as he turned and ran down the right path. He ran as the wind for minutes on end, but finally came to another clearing. On the ground were the burning carcasses of three Giant Beetles. Gaar bent down and looked closer at one of the beetles.

"Hm. That's odd. I've never seen that before." Gaar looked around his immediate area and picked up a six inch twig. Turning back to the burning bug, he started poking it. The carcass rolled back and forth several times before coming to a rest again. "It's…almost as if the thing were on fire with out really burning, but…" Gaar put lowered his hand to within an inch of the dead creature and said, "Nope, definitely isn't fire. I wonder what it is." Gaar looked over at another carcass that was burning, but was also cut in half. "They all seem to be on fire…without really burning…weird."

"-emon Fang," came a cry from close by. Gaar's head shot up and looked down a path to his right. Standing up, Gaar immediately started down the path that had issued the call. As he got closer he began hearing more things, things that sounded of swords clashing against metal armor. Grunts, screams, and Gaar stopped when he heard someone shout, "Item Thief," and then a grunt from falling.

"That sounded like Colette." Gaar sprinted down the path way. He was running for a good bit when he heard someone shout, "Stop!" Gaar immediately stopped moving, skidding to a halt, and throwing dust into the air. He looked around but saw no one. Then the same voice said, "It's you, the wanted criminal. Come to hand yourself in have you?"

A new voice answered, "Not in _your_ life. I'm here to save the people of Luin, and to destroy you Desians." Gaar heard swords unsheathing to his right, on the other side of a small incline.

Then the first voice said, "Why you little…" Then Gaar heard metal come into contact with metal, cloth rip, and again metal on metal. He moved quickly over to the hill and then crawled slowly the rest of the way up until just his eyes were over. His eyes widened when he saw a sword flying right at him. Gaar ducked just as the sword slammed into the top of the hill where his head was, spun five times while arcing in a slow curve over Gaar's fetal position body, and sunk into the ground two feet from his toes.

"Filthy human, thought you could defeat me did ya. This is what you get for fighting a superior being, Filthy Maggot!" Sounds of a body being beaten filter over the incline. Gaar felt his hate start to bubble when he heard them. His irises focused sharply on the sword. He moved over to the blade quickly and grabbed the hilt, then pulled it free of the ground. Where it had been warm and sunny moments before, it became dark now. Clouds decided to take this moment to make their appearance as a chill wind blew through the forest. The trees reacted in tree like fashion, waving about violently.

Scrambling up and over the hill, Gaar stopped just short of the two Desians who were kicking Lloyd in the back and the stomach. Blood poured out of the corners of his mouth. He wasn't screaming, or even begging them to stop, but his teeth were clenched as were his eyelids, and he grunted every time a booted foot crushed into his body. But that all stopped when the Desians noticed Gaar standing a few feet away holding Lloyd's belligerent sword, but only now its metal glowed in a golden red hue. Lloyd looked up when he noticed that the Desians had stopped their assault and glared daggers at the two before he noticed his now glowing sword.

"Who the hell are you?" The lead Desian pointed at Gaar. Gaar smiled. "What's so funny, kid, mind telling us?"

"I was just thinking about how you'd scream when I gut you with this sword." Gaar smiles, as he leveled his eyes with the Desians, tilting his head lower. The Desian laughed incredulously.

"I'd like to see you try, you pathetic inferior being." The Desian didn't even have a chance to blink. The glowing sword was already through his gut. Gaar pulled his arm back after having thrown the blade. The other Desian wasn't as smart as his impaled friend. The color drained from his face as he turned to ran, but was tripped up by Lloyd who found his other sword and was back up again having somehow healed himself.

Lloyd held his sword to the Desian's throat and said, "Don't move." The Desian barely breathed.

Gaar, meanwhile, walked up to the Desian who was looking down at the glowing sword in his gut. He tried to touch the hilt of the sword, but the golden red glow coming from the sword burned his hand and caused him to scream in pain. He then looked up at Gaar. Terror flowed from his tear ducts. Gaar grabbed the hilt and twisted it with his left hand, the Desian screamed in pain before Gaar ripped the sword violently out of his body.

Gaar looked down at the dying half-elf and said, "Now you know how we inferior beings feel when we die." Gaar looked into the Desians fading, terrified eyes and smiled the most deranged smile he would ever feel on his face.

Then Gaar's eyes widened and his smile vanished. He shook his head, growled, and chopped the dying man's head clean off, ending his suffering. The sword stopped glowing and Gaar let it drop to the ground. "What… what was I doing…?" Gaar's hands shook violently, drops of the Desian's blood flying off. "I… I was being… doing what _they _do…" Gaar fell to his knees, bent over, and tossed his cookies.

Lloyd, his face ashen, looked down at the Desian beneath his blade and said in a broken voice, "If you don't want the same thing to happen to you, run…far away from here." The Desian paled even further at the suggestion and seemed to melt like a snowman placed in the middle of the Sahara when Lloyd removed his sword and sheathed it. Shortly after, the Desian found his wits and scrambled away like a schoolboy being shot at with a full auto machine gun toting Terminator. Lloyd watched the Desian run before he turned and walked slowly over to the shaking ball that was Gaar.

"Hey, Gaar-" A hand grabbed Lloyd's shoulder. He turned to see Kratos standing there. "Kratos!"

"Lloyd, leave him alone," the mercenary said, an unmistakable tone of compassion underlying his order.

"What! Can't you see he needs help?" Lloyd spread his arms toward Gaar, as if to say, 'look how pitiful this creature is, surly we should help it.'

Kratos shook his head and crossed his arms. "He is going to have to go through this on his own."

Lloyd stomped on the ground and shouted, "What do you mean he has to-"

"Lloyd calm down," Kratos soothed the boy. "I once had a pupil who was in a situation very similar to this." Kratos' eyes found something to look at in the distance as he relived past events. "He found he had power unimagined, abilities to do things he was unprepared to do. Gaar has found himself capable of a similar thing, and he must come to grips with reality."

"Oh yeah, and what's that," Lloyd said, still irritated.

"He must come to realize that it isn't what your capable of that you must worry over, but what you choose to do. He must also come to terms with what he's done, no matter how horrible the act, and decide if he will let the fear of ever repeating such an act rule his life. I doubt there is anything we could do to help, even if we wanted too." Kratos looked down at the boy on the ground. Lloyd's anger now sated, he also looked down at Gaar, though with sad eyes.

"Wow, I guess I never thought of it that way." Lloyd walked closer to Gaar and kneeled next to the shivering boy. "Gaar, do you think you'll be able to live with this?"

"Up until now," the boy said, his head buried in his arms. He sniffed at the mucus that ran from his nose, "I've been motivated by my hatred of the Desians. When I saw all the harm they'd done, all the woes in the world that they had cause, I was filled with visions of vengeance. I never once realized that the Desians are also living beings, capable of fear and even…" Gaar sniffed again, "…terror." Gaar looked up. His eyes were red from crying. "But when I looked into that dying man's face and smiled, I felt that I had become worse than those who oppressed others. I had done a deed more cruel than any Desian whip. I had become what I hated, and all I could do was smile in…" Gaar coughed as his throat seized up in sorrow. "I hate the Desians for everything they've done, but I hate myself even more for sinking so low, doing something so horrendous. Nobody deserves to die that way, no body!" Gaar buried his face back into his hands. Lloyd sighed and Kratos continued to look on unemotional with his arms crossed.

"Your right, nobody deserves to die like that." Lloyd stopped to look down at the jewel on the back of his right hand. "But as long as the Desians do exist, people still suffer. They run over the world in their efforts to control it, hurting people everywhere they go. I want to defeat the Desians more than anyone, they killed my mom, and they hurt lots of people when they attacked Iselia. I want to create a world that is free of fear and terror. That world would even include the Desians. They could live peacefully in this world if they laid down their arms and helped others, instead of hurting them. But as long as these ranches are around, I don't think that can happen." Gaar looked up at Lloyd, his tears had stopped but his eyes were still red and his face was puffy. "I could use all the help I can get." Kratos mumbled something to himself, but fell silent when Lloyd glared at him. "Gaar, would you help me rid this world of the hate that Desians have spread?" Gaar stared at Lloyd for a moment, glanced at Kratos, who was watching on without emotions, and then looked back at Lloyd.

"I don't know if I'll be any help, but I would like to try." Gaar grabbed Lloyd's outstretched hand. Lloyd helped Gaar to stand up and clapped him on the back with a smile. Kratos smiled for a few seconds before he consciously wiped it off his face.

"Lloyd, we should get back to the others, they will no doubt be worried," Kratos said as he turned and started walking away. Gaar wiped his tears away with a dirt and blood laden hand.

Lloyd turned and followed Kratos. Glancing over his shoulder he asked Gaar, "You coming?"

"Uhh…yeah," Gaar replied. "And Lloyd."

Lloyd stopped and faced Gaar. "Yeah?"

"Thanks." Gaar smiled.  
"Heh heh, no problem." Lloyd smiled and continued walking. Gaar caught up with Lloyd and fell into step as the two walked out of the clearing. Then sun came back out, birds chirped, and that owl still slept.


	5. To Be or Not To Be

I've been wondering how I can increase the number of reviews I get. I always thought that even if you ask readers to review, they would do so only if they really felt like it...even I am guilty of that...sadly. Besides, I've always thought that stories shouldnt be written on the reviews gotten from them. Anyway, I figured that some people need incentives to say something, so I'm trying think of one. Any suggestions?

Thanks again for reviewing Contraltissimo and Tobiasa. :)

Anyways, On with the Story!

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia!" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

The sun was low in the evening sky. Its red and orange blanket covered the sky. The Asgard Ranch was as a termite nest, completely infested with Desians. Groups of six patrolled with drilled stiffness around its perimeter. Every five minutes another six man patrol passed the same point. Bright floodlights lit the immediate surrounding area and were complimented by five large spotlights that swerved about, shining their lights on the surrounding areas. On top of the gate was a large assortment of soldiers, from Whip Masters to Evil Sorcerers, who were looking at the surrounding area for enemies. 

Seven shadowed figures snuck stealthily into a small copse of trees to the left of the path way that lead to the main gate. The last one into the copse stopped to look behind him before he continued. Once all seven people had come into a circle, the smaller of the two shortest members of the groups held up his hand and quietly said, "Fireball!" At first, nothing happened. Then a miniature glowing whorl wind grew in the boy's hand until it was as large as an apple. The mini orange tornado gave off sparks as it slowly pulled in on itself until it was spherical. The fireball lit up the copse enough for the people inside to see each other in the dying sunlight.

The one holding the fireball said, "This place is locked up tight. The security is intense. It's completely different from Iselia."

"Yeah," Lloyd said as he peeked through the trees at the guards around the main gate. "Even if we were to get inside…" Lloyd turned back around and faced the group. "Any ideas?" Everyone either shrugged or was too deep in thought to respond. They all fell silent and Genis dimmed the fireball even further as a patrol marched by. They all remained silent as Colette walked over to the edge of the copse and peered through to watch the patrol that had just passed walk up to the gate.

"This is Patrol Bravo returning to base," the lead Whip Master shouted to the Evil Sorcerer on top of the tall gate. The gate creaked and groaned as it parted and repeated the process when it closed after the six Desians had entered.

"Wow," Colette exclaimed in surprise, "the Desians get to go in so easily."

"Hmm…maybe there is a way in after all," Raine surmised cautiously.

"Professor, I bet you're thinking the same thing I am!"

Lloyd almost shouted too loud and caused Kratos and Genis to look around quickly before they both went "Shhh!" Lloyd looked down sheepishly and laughed lightly.

Colette tilted her head slightly to the side and with a confused look asked, "What? What are we going to do?"

Lloyd continued to outline his plan, though much quieter. "We'll disguise ourselves as Desians and sneak in." Raine smiled and shook her head apologetically. Lloyd looked at her confused. "Professor, what's so funny about my plan?"

"It's not the plan. It's that I only get to see the gears in your head move this quickly at times like this." Genis and Colette both held back laughter and Kratos smirked his smirk.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lloyd looked at Rain for an answer but she put her hand over her mouth to hide her smile.

Then Colette said excitedly, though quietly, "Oh, I see! If we look like Desians, we won't get caught and will be able to get in as easily as them."

"Well, well." Sheena nodded her head in approval as she said, "That is quite a daring plan Raine." Raine nodded and looked toward Kratos. He nodded once before turning to look out for a patrol.

"Uh…do you guys have uniforms to dress up in?" Gaar looked curiously at Raine and then at Lloyd who both hung their heads. "Well, don't give up, that plan _was_ good!"

"I don't thing this is the best plan either." Raine's exasperation came across clearly. "But do we have any other choice?"

"…The next patrol is coming," Kratos interrupted. "What shall we do?"

"Why not take their clothes," Gaar asked and then attempted to raise an eyebrow but failed.

Sheena's and Colette's faces lit up like they just had an epiphany.

"Let's do it," Sheena said excitedly.

"Yeah," Colette added, a determined look appeared on her face.

"Okay," Lloyd agreed. "Let's hide here and then ambush them before they get in sight of the main gate."

The seven of them readied their weapons and stood in a place near the edge of the copse that would allow them to jump out at a moments notice. Gaar's legs were shaking slightly and his knees were nearly knocking together. The sun slipped below the edge of the world as it slowly dragged its orange blanket behind.

"Lloyd," Gaar whispered to the boy next to him, "I…don't know if I can…" Lloyd looked at him confused. "What if I loose control again…? I…don't know if... I can deal with those emotions again… I'm afraid I won't be able to stop…" Understanding finally lit Lloyd's features.

"It's ok," he replied. "Just stay back near Genis and Rain. Leave the fighting to me!"

"And me!" Colette smiled at Gaar from his other side.

"Thanks." Gaar said as a tears formed in his eyes, before he wiped them away with his ripped sleeve.

"Ok, here they come." They watched the Desians march slowly by. Two Whip Masters behind an Evil Sorcerer and three Spearmen. When they had moved into the spot directly in front of the waiting seven, Lloyd yelled, "Now!"

Kratos jumped out first, he punched the closest Spearman in the face and sent her flying. The Desian grunted a surprised "Ugh…"

Lloyd was next. He jumped out and started slashing his twin sabers at the closest Whip Master. He swung his swords up and down, cutting up the Whip Master and lifted him off the ground. Before the Whip Master could fall an inch, Lloyd slammed him with a ferocious 'Beast'. First he shoved the Whip Master with his shoulder, and then swung his sword hard into the Desian's gut. The Whip Master flew over everyone's heads, into a four foot tall tree, and then slid to the ground unconscious.

Colette had jumped out and thrown both Chakrams at once, slicing the staff of the Evil Sorcerer in half and turning a Spearman's spear into fire kindling. Both Desians looked at their respective weapons before they turned to Colette, who had an impish smile on her face.

"Hehe. Sorry," she said too cheerfully. Colette then stuck her tongue out at them.

The Evil Sorcerer clenched his fist and growled, "Why you little…" then started chanting a spell.

The Spearman pulled another spear from somewhere and took aim at Colette. "I'm gonna stick you good, little girl," she sneered.

Colette caught both of her Chakrams as they returned to her and lost her balance. Her arms wind-milled several times before she fell over and hit the ground with a thud. Over her head sailed the spear in one direction and an oversized fireball in the other. The fireball hit the Spearman and flash fried her on the spot, and the flying spear flew straight through the Evil Sorcerer's chest and killed him instantly. "Wow," Colette said, smiling, "that was easy. Hehe."

In the mean time Lloyd and Kratos were holding off a Spearman and the last Whip Master while Raine and Genis chanted their respective spell. Lloyd was dodging the whip cracks left and right, but was hit on the hand by a third whiplash. Grunting, he rushed the Whip Master and started attacking him, but the Whip Master dodged the attacks. Meanwhile, Kratos had somehow been disarmed by the Spearman and was dodging the thrusts and electrical discharges of the spear. He eventually was hit by one of the bolts of electrical energy and fell to the ground. "Hahahaha, pathetic human," the Spearman gloated.  
"Kratos!" Gaar's outburst grabbed the attention of the Spearman

"You're next," she said menacingly as she started running toward him. Gaar, who was standing a little bit off to Genis' left, froze up. He watched unmoving as the Spearman sprinted while she leveled her spear at him, point headed directly toward his chest. Kratos suddenly materialized behind the Spearman and grabbed her around the neck with one arm. The Spearman struggled for a half second before Kratos tightened his harm and caused a wet snapping noise to come from the Desian's neck.

"Fool! If you refuse to fight," Kratos shouted at Gaar, "don't draw attention to yourself!" Gaar's knees shook as he fell unceremoniously to the ground.

Suddenly, Genis shouted, "Eruption!" at the same time Raine shouted, "Photon!" Both magical attacks started to manifest at once, one underneath and the other within the Whip Master's body. The Mana on the ground turned the immediate area into a boiling pit of lava while the Mana in the Photon attack shined so bright that the beams of light emitted from the Desian's body manifested themselves as white beams. Then, the center of the light moved from the Whip Master's chest down to the ground and merged with the boiling lava. Raine looked at Genis and Genis grinned back and asked, "Ready Sis?"

"Let's do this," she replied.

Raine raised her Battle Staff, Genis his Falling Star, and together they shouted "Radiant Eruption!" The Mana below the Whip Master turned from boiling lava to bubbling light. It then exploded upwards and sent out a massive beam of white hot light that seared the clothes, hair, skin, muscles, organs, and finally skeleton of the Desian away until there was nothing left.

Sheena, since the get go, had been fighting the Spearman Kratos had initiated the battle with. She whittled the Desian's spear down to a short, thin stick, which the Spearman was waving around madly in attempt to fend off Sheena's attacks. Sheena dodged the waving stick and darted in to slap a strip of paper covered with exotic writing onto her opponent. Sheena did this until the Spearman was covered in a fair amount of paper strips, which stuck without any form of adhesive. Finally, Sheena grabbed the stick the Desian was waving about and slammed a final strip of paper down on the Spearman's forehead as she shouted "Life Seal!" All the paper strips glowed a light red before the Desian fell to the ground and shook violently. The Spearman clawed at the strips of paper but was unable to even touch them. Sheena turned away as her victims skin sank into itself as the body dried out, leaving the Desian a dehydrated corpse.

"Whew." Lloyd sheathed his sword and whipped the sweat off of his brow. "That was tough." He fell lightly to the ground and rested. Kratos walked around to each of the corpses and inspected them. Raine looked over each of the corpses and nodded her head to some internal thought. Genis walked over to Sheena, who was wiping the blood that had gotten on her cards off on the dead Evil Sorcerer. The stars had come out, the absence of a moon making their brilliance all the more remarkable. The copse of trees bathed the seven in shadow, rendering them unseen by the ranch guards.

"I've never seen cards like that," Genis said, "I meant to ask you about them when we first met, but you were trying to kill us, so…I never really got the chance." Sheena's face brightened and she held out a freshly cleaned card to Genis. He looked at the strange writing on the cards. "How does it work? Is it some kind of spell? Do you have to use Mana? Are there special words that you have to use?" Sheena was baffled by the onslaught of questions coming from the young boy.

"Stop," Sheena cried exasperatedly. "Not so many questions at once."

Genis looked shocked for a second before he handed the card back to Sheena and dejectedly said, "Sorry." Sheena moved to respond but was interrupted.

"Everybody, we have a problem." Everybody turned to Raine as she continued. "We'll have to decide who will be the Desian." Everyone looked around at the assortment of bodies, then back at Raine.

Colette tilted her head to the side slightly, a curios look on her face, and asked Raine, What do you mean, Professor?"

"Only two of the Desian uniforms looks like they are serviceable," the Professor explained. "So everyone else is going to have to be prisoners."

"Me! Me! I'll be the Desian!" Lloyd was throwing his right hand into the air and jumping like an excited schoolgirl.

"… This is not a game," Kratos told the annoying boy.

Gaar looked around at the bodies again and then pointed out, "It looks like only girls can wear those uniforms."

Raine nodded. "Right, so which one of us is going to become the Desian?" Raine motioned between herself, Colette, and Sheena. Colette suddenly fell over. Raine looked at the floored Colette and then she looked back at Sheena and said "It looks like it's me and you." Sheena nodded and went over to the dried husk of a Desian and took the clothes off of it while Raine did the same for the one with a snapped neck.

Lloyd pouted as he whined, "Hey that's not fair, Professor!"

"It's not about fairness," Raine said with finality. "This will look the most natural, and as Gaar pointed out, these uniforms are only for females. You wouldn't be able to wear it." Lloyd continued to pout. Kratos was again looking out for the next patrol, his sword in his hand.

Genis walked over to the sulking Gaar and asked, "Hey Gaar, I noticed you didn't fight. How come? The way Lloyd was talking about you, you could have easily handled all six of those guys by yourself." Gaar looked down at the ground. Genis continued to wait for an answer.

Finally Gaar said, "It's…cause I'm afraid."

"Afraid?" Genis looked confused, "Afraid of what?"

"Afraid of," Gaar paused. "Afraid of what I might do…again. I don't know if I will be able to stop myself from becoming that…thing again."

"Hmm," Kratos grunted from a few feet away. "Will you let the fear of what you might become control what you do become." Gaar looked down again.

Genis turned to Kratos and asked, "Kratos, how can you be so mean?"

"Call it what you like," Kratos rebuffed, "I am merely telling the truth." He then turned and walked off.

Genis was about to go after him when Gaar stopped him by saying, "No Genis, Kratos is right. I… I just haven't come to a decision yet. You know?"

Genis nodded solemnly. "Yeah." Then Genis' eyes lit up and he said excitedly, "I know, you can use defense techniques." Gaar looked at Genis uncertainly. "That way," he continued, "you can protect yourself if you're attacked, and you won't have to fight back." Gaar continued to look at Genis sideways with a skeptical look. "Come on," Genis said excitedly, "it's easy!"

Gaar nodded slowly and said, "Alright." Lloyd, who was staring at the dried up corpse curiously, turned and walked over to Genis and Gaar.

"I'm bored," he said simply.

"Hey, Lloyd," Genis turned to Lloyd as he approached. "Do you think you could show Gaar how to use defense techniques? I'm gonna show him mine too." Lloyds face brightened at the suggestion.

"Sure," he said. "First you gotta figure out what your reaction to immediate stimulus is." Genis and Gaar stared at Lloyd.

"Lloyd, do you even know what 'stimulus' means," Genis asked.

Lloyd nodded his head, confident. "Yep, sure do."

Gaar sighed. "Does he always say things he has no clue about?"

"All the time," Genis remarked sarcastically.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Genis ignored Lloyd's outburst and continued.

"What you have to do is act like you do when someone is about to attack you, like hold your hands out in front of you, or what ever it is that you do." Genis demonstrated by holding his hands out in front of him, as if he were pushing away an oncoming attack. Then Genis said, "As soon as you are in the position that is most natural when defending yourself, you focus your Mana into repelling the attack. This creates a temporary shield around your body that can repel most damage." Genis closed his eyes for a few seconds. When he opened them he pushed his hands out in front of him and shouted, "Force Field!" Genis was covered in a green glow for a few seconds before it faded.

Gaar watched Genis perform Force Field and when he was finished, he said, "It looks easy enough. But what is Mana?" Lloyd and Genis looked at Gaar like they would a rock that just spoke about cheese.

"Are you telling me you don't know what Mana is?" Gaar nodded to Genis, who then said, "And here I thought Lloyd was the dumb one."

Lloyd again turned to Genis and asked, "What's that supposed to mean."

Genis ignored Lloyd again and said, "Mana is the very building source of matter. So when I say 'focus your Mana', I'm talking about the Mana that is inside of your body."

Lloyd looked at his hands and said, "So that is where Guardian comes from."

"Lloyd, don't tell me you didn't know that?" Genis crossed his arms over his chest and said, "Never mind Gaar, Lloyd is still the dumbest one around?"

"Genis stop with the dumb stuff, Ok." Lloyd turned his back to a chuckling Genis and said to Gaar, "So do you think got the hang of it." Gaar nodded slowly as Raine and Sheena came out from the copse of trees dressed in the Desian uniforms.

"Just wearing this uniform makes my skin crawl." Sheena picked at the blue cloth underneath the armor. "Yuck!"

"I agree, let's hurry up." Raine picked up the spear lying on the ground next to the Spearman with her head hanging upside down and too far to the left. Sheena looked around for another spear. Kratos, who walked over to the Evil Sorcerer's body, pulled the spear out of his chest with a large wet squelching noise. He tossed the spear to Sheena who wiped the Evil Sorcerer's blood off in the grass that grew on the side of the path. When she was done Raine said, "Let's go."

Genis stood next to Lloyd, Colette stood behind Lloyd and next to Kratos, and Gaar stood on the other side of Kratos. Sheena went behind the five 'captives' and Raine took the lead. She looked back and checked where everyone was standing. "Act like your hands are tied together," she said, "and like you've lost all hope."

"Oh yeah, right." Lloyd dropped his head and in a defeated voice said, "How could this happen?" Colette put on a sad face that would make a Klingon cry, Kratos shaded his eyes with his bangs, Gaar did the same, and Genis kept his eyes on the ground.

"Good," Raine said. She faced forward and in an authoritive voice shouted, "March humans!"


	6. Gaar's Deciscion

This is the longest chapter yet. I've decided that the best way to get reviews is to ask people for an idea. I ask that anyone who wants, tell me what they think Gaar's defence technique is, and you don't have to stop there. You can suggest spells that he can use, items, weapons, it doesn't matter. If I like the suggestion, which I probably will cause I'm not too picky, I'll include it in the story and give kudos 'on air' to the originator of the idea.

I don't know if this will work, but who knows. It might.

Anyway, thanks Tobiasa for reviewing. Sorry Contraltissimo for not giving you enough time to review the last chapter before I added this chaper. I was so excited about finishing two chapters in one day that I couldn't wait.

On with the story!

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia!" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

The Desian commander stalked back and forth on the platform adorning the top of the main gate. The antiseptic whiteness of the floodlights that surrounded the Ranch gave a feeling of ominous despair. The manned searchlights on either side of the thin platform scanned back and forth across the pathway leading to the main gate. An Evil Sorcerers stood next to each of the searchlights as they swept back and forth. 

Suddenly, one of the Whip Masters that stood behind a searchlight stopped his sweeps. "What the," he exclaimed. "Commander, someone approaches." The other searchlight swiveled to point at the group of seven approaching. The commander stopped pacing.

"Finally, it took them long…wait that's not Patrol Echo. Who then…" The commander squinted his eyes as he peered at the approaching group.

"It appears to be two Spearmen," said one of the Evil Sorcerers. "And they appear to be escorting prisoners. Perhaps Patrol Echo ran into trouble."

When the two Spearmen had escorted their five prisoners to within feet of the gate, the Desian commander shouted, "Stop!"

"We've done it!" Shouted the lead Spearman as the seven came to a stop. The Whip Master and Evil Sorcerer at each of the searchlights looked at each other, then back at the Spearman.

"Done what?" the Commander hesitantly asked.

"We've found the wanted criminal, Lloyd Irving!" The Spearman threw a thumb at the red clad prisoner behind her with his head hung low. The swordsman flinched when he heard his name.

"What!" shouted the Commander.

"Good work!" shouted one Evil Sorcerer.

"And you even caught him alive!" shouted the other, "Even the Five Grand Cardinals had trouble with this one."

"I want to turn him over to the Five Grand Cardinals immediately," the lead Spearman shouted up to the Commander. "Let me through."

"Understood," the Commander shouted. "Go on in!" He turned to the Evil Sorcerer on his left and yelled "Open the main gate!" The Evil Sorcerer saluted once and started operating the controls that rose up from the back of the platform. The large metal gate groaned as the gears turned and the doors opened. Raine and Sheena escorted Lloyd, Genis, Colette, Kratos, and Gaar into the Desian compound. Once they were inside, they stopped and looked around. To their left was a fenced off area where Whip Masters whipped dirty, grungy humans while they worked. To their right were boxes and boxes of materiel and directly in front of them were several different Desians milling about.

One of them, a Whip Master, walked by Raine and gave a rather lewd cat call. As he passed Raine, she tripped him with her spear and he went flying. Genis laughed loud enough for all to hear. Raine immediately turned around and 'affectionately' smacked him in the head. "Quiet you!" she said in her authoritive voice.

The Desian who she had tripped got up and shouted angrily at her, "Get those prisoners into the Control Room and process them already." He then turned and stalked off, red in the face. Raine shrugged and lead the way toward the back of the ranch. A couple of the Desians they passed glared hate at the 'prisoners' but said nothing.

A tear slid down Gaar's cheek. "All those people are suffering," he whispered, "all because of the hate the Desian's feel. And here I'm too afraid to face them because I might…I might…

"It's ok Gaar," whispered Colette reassuringly, "be strong. We're here with you." Gaar smiled but stayed silent as more tears fell down his cheeks. Raine and Sheena brought the group into the ranch, stopped in the first room they entered, and looked around.

An Evil Sorcerer who was guarding a doorway pointed to an unblocked doorway on the other side of the room and said, "Excellent job! No one is in the control room right now so you'll have to register the prisoner's ID numbers." Raine nodded and started toward the unguarded door, Sheena 'ushered' the rest of the group through the door. Once the door closed behind them with a pressurizing hiss, Sheena and Raine immediately started tearing off the Desian uniforms. The others faced away from the two, Kratos having to forcefully turn a bewildered Lloyd.

"Finally," a relieved Sheena said. "That was the most nerve shocking, gut wrenching thing I've ever done."

Raine, who had completely disrobed the Desian uniform and revealed her own clothes beneath, said, "I most certainly agree with you Sheena." Once the two imposter Desians had disengaged themselves of their fake guises, the entire group walked over to the other side of the room. Taking up the entire wall, a screen showed a large factory conveyor belt system.

Raine was slowly scratching her chin, deep in thought, when she said, "It looks…like this is an Exsphere manufacturing plant." She continued to manufacture skin flakes by scratching her chin thoughtfully.

"So it would seem…" Kratos cautiously surmised.

"These are all Exspheres?" burst Lloyd. "Incredible…"

"Umm…I know this is going to sound stupid…like how I asked about mana, but… What are Exspheres?" Lloyd and Genis looked at Gaar incredulously, Colette looked at Gaar and smile, but with a 'oh, you don't know?' look, Kratos looked at the boy questioningly, and Raine was too busy thinking to look at Gaar. "Hey, don't look at me that way," Gaar said to Lloyd and Genis, "I can't even remember my own name!" Genis, Lloyd, and Colette looked down apologetically, and Kratos stayed silent, though he was shaking his head slightly.

Raine noticed the three children's expressions and asked, "What's wrong?"

Genis turned to Raine and said "Gaar doesn't know what an Exsphere is." Raine looked shocked and turned to Gaar, who nodded. Genis continued, "He can't remember."

"Oh, I see," Raine said, striking a pose as if she were about to lecture. "Gaar, since you no longer remember the world, I will take it upon myself to teach you along with the rest of my students on this journey."

"You're in for it now," Lloyd whispered to Gaar, before he was smacked in the head by Raine. Genis chuckled.

"Oh, yay. You get to learn with us." Colette shook her fists up and down excitedly in front of her. "This is going to be fun!"

"Gaar, your first lesson, the Exsphere." Raine roughly held up Genis' right hand and showed Gaar the jewel mounted on a golden star. It glinted once in the light. "An Exsphere," Raine continued, "enhances the abilities of the wearer to a level that would not normally be possible. Take Lloyd for example, if he didn't have an Exsphere, he would be unable to fight."

Lloyd looked offended. "I could still fight," he pouted.

"Enough chatter. We have a job to do," Kratos impatiently prodded.

"Yes," Raine apologized, "you're right." Raine and Kratos walked over to the back of the control room and began looking at the computer consol there. Lloyd, Genis, Colette, Sheena, and Gaar all looked back at the monitor and at the hundreds of Exspheres being transported on the conveyor belt.

"Wow," Gaar said bedazzled, "So this is how they make Exspheres." Genis and Lloyd nodded unconsciously in agreement with the statement.

Colette suddenly turned toward the back of the room. Her eyes widened and she exclaimed, "Shh. I hear voices coming from the next room." Everyone in the room looked toward the rear most door.

Genis looked bewildered at Colette, "I don't hear anything…"

An unsurprised Lloyd said, "Be careful anyway." Everyone standing in front of the wall high screen ran over to stand around Kratos and Raine. Suddenly the back door hissed open and three figures rushed into the room. The tallest one, the only one not in a uniform skidded to a stop in front of Lloyd and Genis.

"You!" the leader shouted.

One of the two Foot Soldiers said, "Lord Botta, it's them!"

Lloyd's brow furrowed as he angrily shouted, "Uh-oh, these are the Desians we ran into in the Triet Desert!"

The first Foot Soldier laughed and said, "They still think we're Desians."

The second Foot Soldier turned to Botta and said, "Sir, this is the perfect chance!"

Kratos didn't give Botta a chance to reply. "Are you looking for a fight?" he threatened.

Botta had his hand on his weapon, and stopped withdrawing it when he heard Kratos' threat. "Wait. Kratos is with them. We'll retreat for now," Botta said over his shoulder. The two Foot Soldiers nodded.

"You two know each other?" Lloyd asked Kratos. His right eyebrow rose. Gaar could be heard muttering 'how does he do that?'

"I suppose," Kratos replied, "if you mean the fact that we ran into them at Iselia and Triet." Botta stood still with his Foot Soldiers, but he looked impatient.

"I think it would be in both our interests for us not to fight here," Botta said with force calmness.

"Do what you will," said Kratos with anger that was thinly veiled by indifference. The three Desians sprinted through the group and headed for the doorway. Colette followed them. Kratos, alarmed, ran after her. Just as the three Desians had gotten to the door they stopped, and threw themselves onto the ground. Colette who came to a stop just behind them looked at the door curiously when it opened with a hiss. There stood three Evil Sorcerers mumbling the last lines in their spell incantation. Colette's eyes widened as nine average sized balls of fire whizzed at her head.

"Guardian!" The glowing green sphere from Kratos' shield reflected the oncoming fireballs at odd angles. The fireballs hit the walls and ceiling as the three Evil Sorcerers entered the room and failed to see the Botta and his two lackeys sneaking out behind them.

"Colette! Kratos!" Lloyd shouted as he ran over to the two.

"I'm okay." She said as Lloyd came to a stop in front of her. The rest of the group gathered around Lloyd and Colette, and then prepared to attack the three Evil Sorcerers.

Kratos saw Genis preparing a spell then his gaze shifted and he said, "No time for that, look behind you!" He pointed to a man who had just entered from the door right next to the large wall screen. Gaar stared at this new comer, whose rat like face gave ugly people a bad name, and the blue uniform didn't help that much.

Lloyd looked at the newcomer. "Huh? What now?"

The man raised his eyebrows. "Well, this is a surprise." He looked around the room, taking in each and every one of the group before moving his ice cold piercing gaze to the next. "When I heard we had rats," he continued, "I assumed it was the Renegade, Botta, but instead I find the wanted inferior beings…" He strolled casually to a spot a few feet away from Lloyd. "That attack was designed to kill on contact so I must say that I am quite impressed that you're still alive."

"Who are you!" Lloyd asked. The man walked up to Lloyd and started poking him in the chest accusingly.

"You barge into my ranch and then demand my name?" the man asked.

Genis gave a slight chuckle. "Wow, Lloyd, isn't this usually the other way around?"

Lloyd glared at the man who was standing within reaching distance. "Genis," Lloyd said annoyed, "this is not the time!"

"He's Kvar," Kratos filled in. "One of the Five Desian Grand Cardinals." Gaar looked at Kratos and gasped slightly. He, the unshakable mercenary, was trembling. His fists were clenched, and he was gritting his teeth. He was barely able to stand the presence of Kvar, yet he bore the pain anyway. Gaar saw this before he turned to look back at Kvar, who was now walking around the room, as if he were out for a stroll.

"Hahaha," he laughed. "I see that some of you know me." Gaar looked back at Kratos. He was still trembling, but not as much, and he had the same look in his eye that Gaar had when he was about to kill the Desian in the forest. Gaar looked back to Kvar, who stopped strolling in front of the large screen, and said, "It's just as Forcystus said." Lloyd clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "That Exsphere," continued the Grand Cardinal "is without a doubt the product of my Angelus Project!"

Suddenly, tens of Whip Masters, Spearmen, and Bowmen started pouring into the control room from the entrance that led outside. A Chakram flew toward Kvar, who threw him self to the ground in front of the large screen. The Chakram flew into the screen and cut into the hard material that the image was projected on. The screen sputtered and the imaged died. Once the Chakram had returned to Colette, Lloyd said, "Good job, Colette!" Lloyd ran through the door that lead into the factory as he said, "Let's go, everyone!" The group ran into the factory behind Lloyd, Kratos bringing up the rear. He hesitated before he went though the door and looked down at the Grand Cardinal being helped up by a Whip Master. Kratos was about to move back and strike Kvar when he looked up and saw the Desian soldiers charging him. He shook his head and went the rest of the way into the factory. When the door was completely shut, Kratos slashed the motor to the right of the door with his sword. The small box gave off sparks and a retreating whine until it was still.

"That should hold them for a while. Let us find another means of escape." Kratos surveyed the damaged door motor before he nodded and faced the group. Raine was busy scrutinizing the machinery conveying the Exspheres, Sheena was standing impatiently with her arms crossed, Lloyd and Genis were checking out a container near the back wall, and Colette was excitedly watching each of the Exspheres go by. Gaar caught Kratos' interest because he was the only one jumping up and down.

"Hey, guys!" Gaar stopped jumping and pointed across the large manufacturing space. "I think there is an exit on that side, but I can't be sure." Raine and Sheena looked up and Kratos walked to the edge of the platform they were standing on to peer across to the other side. Genis and Lloyd looked at Gaar questioningly before he repeated himself. Colette continued to watch the Exspheres go by.

"I see something as well, but how do we get from here to over there?" Raine continued to brood silently.

She was broken out of her brooding when Lloyd said loudly, "Why not follow this path." He pointed down a set of stairs. "It's got to lead somewhere." The door suddenly started to groan. The slashed motor sparked a few times.

"Oh no," Genis moaned. "They're getting through." Everybody sprinted down the stairs and ran into and over a Whip Master, who Raine knocked unceremoniously off the walkway into the machinery below.

"Ahhhh…" screamed the Desian as he fell, and then all was silent. Behind, they could hear the door being wrenched off its track. The seven infiltrators jogged down another flight of stairs and then up another onto a platform that held hundreds of monitors, each of which had streams of data scrolling down their faces.

"What's this," Raine said as she attempted to study them. "Ahhgh…" she choked as she was dragged away by Lloyd and Genis. They all ran down another set of stairs and knocked another Whip Master off the catwalk without stopping until they came to a T-junction.

"I think we should go that way," Raine said, pointing toward the platform with more computer monitors. Lloyd and Genis again dragged her away as they all continued down the catwalk. They eventually came to a stairway that took them up to a wide open landing. Gaar stopped just before the top. He cocked his head to the side.

"Do you guys hear…"

"…screaming!" finished Colette. They all ran onto the platform and saw a conveyor line carrying people. They were brought through a tube into a large square chamber that emanated the screams of the people as they died. Out of the other side of the chamber came Exspheres. Kratos and Raine gasped, and Sheena and Genis were wide eyed in fear, surprise, terror, and disgust. Colette cried large tears as she held her ears to block out the sounds of the screams of anguish. Lloyd stared unmoving with his mouth hanging open, trying to speak, but no words came out. Gaar looked on, but was otherwise unemotional. He watched the people on the conveyor belt, those bedraggled, tortured, humiliated, terrorized, and hurt people as they rolled along on that uncaring belt to their mechanized doom. He imagined the despair they might feel, the terror, the anguish, the fear. He wondered if they cried, if they had any hope or if they had given up hope to a goddess that didn't care. He thought all these things and felt his control shatter. He again felt his emotions began to swirl within him. His imagination again showed all the things that he could do to punish those responsible. And he again felt that one emotion that gripped his heart with its cold fingers, made his mind see with crystal clarity, moved his body with unnatural grace. Hate.

"Wh… what is this!"

Lloyd was answered by Kvar, who walked up behind the group with a bunch of his footmen. "This is where the Exspheres are removed from the host bodies," he explained matter-of-factly. Everyone turned around to face him except Gaar, who continued to stare at the people dying right before him.

"Do you mean…" Raine said with disgust, "that Exspheres are made from…human bodies?"

"Not exactly." Kvar's tone of voice conveyed his extreme boredom. "Exspheres are dormant at first. They extract nourishment from humans to grow and awaken." Gaar slowly turned to face Kvar, his head low, his thick brown hair covering his eyes. "Human ranches are Exsphere manufacturing plants," Kvar continued. "Why else would we superior beings spend our valuable time raising and taking care of these filthy inferior beings?"

Genis trembled as he said, "That's… That's terrible!"

"Terrible? Terrible is what you've done." Kvar responded accusingly. "Stealing and using Exspheres that we've invested so much of our valuable time and care in creating." Kvar walked forward a step and pointed at the group. "You deserved to be punished." Kvar smiled cruelly. The soldiers behind Kvar surged forward and surrounded the group. They had their weapons at the ready but didn't attack. Instead they looked to Kvar for his order.

"Damn," Lloyd shouted as he looked around. "We're surrounded…"

"Lloyd!" Lloyd looked at Kvar, surprised to hear his name. "Your Exsphere was to be an offering to Lord Yggdrasill. It's time you gave it back." Lloyd looked down at his Exsphere in with the same surprised look. No one noticed as Gaar began to float an inch off the ground. His hands were clenched and his muscles bulged. Blood dripped from his fists as his fingers dug into the fleshy inside of his palm.

"Yggdrasill…" Raine said investigativly, "I suppose that is name of your leader."

Kvar didn't miss a beat. "Yes," he said slowly, menacingly. "Now, for the sake of our great leader, Lord Yggdrasill, and for the sake of my own success, I need that Exsphere!" Kvar was about nod to the commander next to him.

"Again!" Lloyd burst out. "What's so special about my Exsphere?"

Kvar stopped and looked at Lloyd as one would look at a pesky fly. He pointed to Lloyd's Exsphere and said, "That is the result of years of time-consuming research. I can finally reclaim what was stolen by that filthy female hose body."

"What are you talking about?" Lloyd asked, confused. "The female host body?" Lloyd gasped. "You're not talking about…"'

"Hmm…" Kvar said, still annoyed by that pesky bug. "You don't know anything, do you? That Exsphere was cultured on host body A012, human name, Anna… your mother." Kvar stopped and watched the realization sink into Lloyd's brain and then dawn on his face. Lloyd's pupils dilated, his teeth clenched, and breathing became ragged. Kvar smiled a sadistic smile of pleasure and said happily, "Of course, she paid for her _crime _with her life."

"_You _killed my…"

"Now, now," Kvar said patronizingly, "don't blame me. I'm not the one that killed Anna. Your _father_ did." No one noticed Kratos jolt. Gaar, who now floated two and a half inches off the floor, had gained the attention of several nearby Desians. They trembled in fear as they stared at the floating boy. The air around him appeared to 'flex' every time an Exsphere host screamed in death.

"LIAR!" Lloyd shouted.

"Please," Kvar continued calmly, as if chatting with an old friend. "When her Key Crest-less Exsphere was removed, Anna turned into a monster… and your father killed her." Lloyd was trembling and everyone in the group but Gaar and Kratos were looking at him with concerned eyes. "Pathetic, don't you think?" Kvar asked.

"Do not speak ill of the dead," Kratos spat venomously.

"Hahaha!" Kvar laughed. "Who cares? They were both just a couple of filthy humans," he said as if the word 'human' made him think he were eating garbage. "Worthless Maggots!"

Lloyd, enraged, screamed, "Don't you ever talk about my parents like that!" Kvar nodded to the commander next to him.

"Get 'em," the commander ordered. The group backed up around Gaar as the Desians advance. Gaar eventually floated in front of them. The air now flexed so powerfully around Gaar ever time some one screamed, that it seemed to be bending his image. The Desians stopped advancing when they saw Gaar. Kvar's eyes widened and the commander said, "Lord Kvar…that's him…that's the boy we've been searching for…" Kratos raised his eye brow.

"Yeah Gaar?" Lloyd said. Everyone in the group looked at Lloyd, who was staring at the Gaar and shaking. His face was pale. "Ok." He said. Lloyd unsheathed his left hand sword and tossed it into the air. The sword flew up and over Gaar. It was caught in mid-air by an invisible force that pulled it to Gaar's outstretched hand. The moment the sword touched Gaar's skin, the blade grew white hot, and burst into flames.

"Wow," Genis shouted. His face was pale as he looked on. "I didn't know humans could use mana…"

"They… can't," Raine added, "at least, not that much. No one can. There isn't that much mana available in the world…"

Gaar floated slowly back to the ground. He raised his head and stared at nothing and everything. The traumatized Desian closest to him asked, "Wh… why are you smiling?"

"Hahahaha…" Gaar laughed, and caused a chill to go down the spine of everyone that heard it. "I'm smiling because I'm going to enjoy punishing you for making those," Gaar pointed at the Exspheres moving on the conveyor belt, "out of them," Gaar hand moved from the Exspheres to the people dying behind him.

"Hahahaha," Kvar laughed. "And how does a filthy maggot like you expect to do that? With that little bit of magic you're using. Don't be ridiculous." Kvar laughed again.

"Ahhh!" Gaar screamed as he slashed the blade horizontally in front of him. All the Desians who were near him stared for three seconds, then their top halves slid off their bottom halves and both halves fell to the ground with a sick, wet thud that caused everyone behind Gaar to jump. Kvar stopped laughing.

Growling, Kvar yelled at his commander, "Get them! Get them now!"

As more Desians appeared from the stairway, Colette shouted, "Stop!" The Desians stopped, Gaar stopped, and everyone looked at Colette. "Gaar, please stop this senseless violence! Please!"

"They must be…punished," Gaar rasped darkly.

"The Desians may do horrible things, but people are still dying, nothing can be solved by killing more people, so please, stop!"

Gaar visibly struggled with some internal force, before he finally said in his dark raspy voice, "Your right Colette. People are still dying…" Gaar turned back to the Desians, who tensed up, and said, "…and they will continue to die…" Gaar pulled back his sword, readying to strike. The blade, if possible, glowed even brighter.

"Noo..." Colette moaned and tried to run out to stop Gaar, but she was held back by Raine and Kratos.

As Gaar swung the sword, he said, "…unless I do this!" When the sword's swing reached the apex of its journey, the energy, heat, and light on the blade shot out like a bolt of lightning into the machinery. All the metal in the entire complex glowed bright red before rapidly cooling. Then the machines all stopped with a suddenness that threw everyone off their feet. The sword stopped glowing and dropped from Gaar's hand as he fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Hey look," a Whip Master said as he pointed to Gaar's unconscious body, "He's out cold. Now's our chance. Let's get 'em!" The Desians started getting up and moving cautiously toward the group. Sheena got up and ran in front of Gaar, the Desians stopped, not knowing what to expect.

"I'll handle this," she told everyone behind her. She looked at the card she was holding and said to herself, "I'm gonna use the last one, Grandpa." Sheena held the card out in front of her and withdrew her had. The card stayed in mid air and started to spin faster and faster until in a puff of smoke, it was replaced by a Wind Guardian. Then, slowly, the Guardian disappeared. So did Sheena, Lloyd, Genis, Raine, Colette, Kratos, and an unconscious Gaar.


	7. Who is he?

This chapter took longer to write than my usual two days because I had a plethora of classwork to do. Sorry bout that. Anyway, I would like to again say thank you for reviewing Contraltissimo and Tobiasa, and thanks to the new reviewer, IJustWannaBeMe. In this chapter I hope to answer some questions and create some more.

On the suggestion front, I've had two that involved bows and arrows, so it seems that it will be going in that direction. As I said, I will give kudos to the originator(s) of the idea 'on air', that means in the story...somehow I will. I had to repost this chapter because of editing mistakes, sorry if you got an email notification thrice.

On with the story!  
"I do not own Tales of Symphonia!" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

The stars twinkled in the skies above Symphonia. Tethe'alla was now waning. Its beams of lunar light, broken up by scattered clouds, shone on the remains of Luin. A green and white animal slept in front of the ruined fountain. Its long ears twitched every now and then. Its breath was visible every time the animal's chest fell, expelling hot moist animal breathe into the chill night air. 

In the space directly above the peacefully sleeping animal, a mist gathered. Slowly, the mist coalesced into the form of seven people. Two of those people solidified into Lloyd and Genis, who promptly fell onto the green and white animal.  
"Aiyee!" Screeched the animal as it was crushed underneath the red clad swordsman and the silver haired Elf. The animal immediately attempted to free itself of its fleshy paper weights.

"Oof!" grunted Kratos as he landed skillfully on two feet, and then got kicked in the stomach by the struggling animal. Colette appeared in mid-air and upon noticing how high up she was, sprouted incandescent wings of lavender and violet from her back.

"Ahh..." screamed Raine. She appeared next to Colette and started to fall before Colette caught her by the wrist.

"I got you, Professor," Raine stepped onto Colette's foot with a sigh and clung to her as if her life depended on it. She looked down at the lake below, shuddered, and clenched her eyes shut as tight as possible. Colette flew gracefully around the lake's surface before she floated to the ground. Once she stepped onto the earth, the wings disappeared in a wave of sparkling light. Raine slowly opened her eyes and noticed that the two of them were no longer in the air or over water. She stepped away from Colette and straightened her clothes out, attempting to regain some dignity. Colette giggled.

Gaar and Sheena appeared at the same time. Sheena grabbed Gaar's unconscious body and somersaulted with trained reflexes and cat-like grace. She landed lightly next to the fountain and laid Gaar gently onto the ground.

The green and white animal finally freed itself from underneath Lloyd and Genis. It then ran across the bridge to the main land like the proverbial dog on fire as Lloyd shouted, "Sorry Noishe!" Lloyd turned back around and looked at Genis, who was staring at Gaar, his brow furrowed in thought. Everyone was staring at Gaar. Sheena slowly edged back away from him. Raine looked like she was about to gleefully solve a complex equation. Kratos looked at Gaar as one looks at an oddity of nature. Colette was staring at Gaar, but soon enough she smiled.

Lloyd looked at everyone's stony expressions and said, "Uh… Guys… Hello!" Lloyd's shouts were ignored by all, except for several barks and a long howl that came from the distant shore.

"Lloyd," Genis eventually said, "you never said that Gaar could do that…"

"Huh?" Lloyd looked at Genis in askance.

"Lloyd," Genis turned to Lloyd, "you said that Gaar defeated a Desian. You said he was really strong. You didn't say Gaar could use magic, or that the sword he used caught on fire, or that he-"

"Lloyd," Raine interrupted, "Do you realize how much power, how much Mana, Gaar just used back there?" Everyone, except Genis and Kratos looked at Raine. "He shouldn't have been able to do that, no one should be able to do that," Raine pointed at Gaar, "yet he did…"

"Professor," Colette looked confused back at Gaar's body as she continued, "you said that 'there wasn't that much Mana in the world'. What did you mean?"

"What she meant," said Kratos, "is that boy wasn't so much using large amounts of Mana as he was producing it." Lloyd scratched his head, Genis and Sheena didn't notice their jaws drop, Raine nodded but still concentrated on Gaar's prone form, and Colette looked curiously at Raine.

"Is that true professor?" she asked.

"Yes," Raine said, "that sums up what I was thinking."

"I don't get it…" Lloyd scratched his head.

Raine walked over to Gaar and kneeled down. She placed a hand on Gaar's rising chest and said, "Right now, his Mana is normal. The body takes in and releases Mana from the world around it at even rates, everyone's body does this naturally. It is a part of life. Right now, Gaar's body is doing just that, taking in Mana from the world, and releasing it."

"Raine?" Genis looked at Raine curiously. "Gaar looked like he was using regular magic to me, just a whole lot of it. Wasn't Gaar taking in the same amount of Mana?"

Raine looked at Genis and sighed. "No Genis. When you or I use magic, we take in the amount of Mana equal to the amount in the spell we cast. But before, in the ranch, Gaar's body was releasing phenomenally more Mana than it was taking in. In fact, his body wasn't taking any Mana in at all, it was only being released, and in larger quantities than I've ever seen before." Genis looked thoughtfully at Gaar. Raine stood up and faced the group. "It was as if his body had somehow stored Mana away, and released it when he was overwhelmed." She turned to Lloyd and asked, "Lloyd, how _did_ Gaar defeat the Desian in the forest?"

Lloyd audibly swallowed and paled a little.

"I'd rather not talk about it…"he said shakily.

"I would assume that Gaar appeared to show strengths that far surpassed those of normal humans," Raine surmised. "Who ever this kid is, he isn't a normal human. In fact, there hasn't ever been one like him. I wonder where he came from."

"But what about his anger," Sheena said, "his Mana seemed to follow his emotions. He could barely control himself."

"That's right," Colette added. "It took all I had to stop him."

"But…" Genis looked up at Raine, "he stopped the killing, just like Colette asked. In fact, he stopped the whole factory, and saved hundreds of lives."

"Only," Kratos interrupted, "after the chosen intervened in his rampage. Had she not done so, his Mana would have continued out of control until he destroyed himself and everyone around him."

"Yes," Raine said. "When Colette interrupted Gaar's attack, he seemed to struggle internally. Perhaps his will to do the right thing fought with his out of control emotions which were fueled by the excessive Mana." Everyone looked down at Gaar's body, lost in thought. Lloyd looked confused at Raine for a few seconds before he looked down at Gaar.

"So what are we gonna do?" Genis finally asked. "We can't leave him here by himself."

Colette nodded furiously. "I agree. Besides, Gaar is our friend."

"He could hurt someone if we left him alone," Sheena added, "himself included." Lloyd seemed lost in thought, when Genis looked at him.

"Lloyd, what do you think?" Everyone looked to Lloyd for his answer.

"I think that move he made, where he slashed all those Desians in half, was the coolest thing ever!" A collective groan came from everyone awake, even Noishe howled in the distance. Then Lloyd looked down at the jewel on the back of his right hand. It glinted in the waning moonlight as Tethe'alla sank below the horizon. "I was also thinking about…" Lloyd trailed off, his words losing their heart. His face was of mixed emotions, never actually showing one before moving to another.

"I can't believe Exspheres are made from people's lives." Sheena had taken her Exsphere off and was looking at the jewel as it rolled around the cradle of her palm. "At least Gaar stopped it… for now…"

Genis looked at the jewel on the back of his hand. "This is Marble's… life…" Genis looked downtrodden. His Exsphere glinted at him in the moonlight.

Lloyd's brow furrowed and his eyes hardened as he tore the Exsphere from his right hand. "Arrgh! This…thing!" Lloyd let his desperate rage flow through his features as he raised the jewel and prepared to smash the Exsphere into the ground.

His rapidly descending fist came to a halt when Colette grabbed his shoulder and shouted, "Lloyd, wait!" When Lloyd stopped moving, Colette continued more calmly. "What will you accomplish by taking that off?" Lloyd didn't move. "It's not just an Exsphere," Colette said, "it's your mother's life, remember?"

Lloyd swiftly turned and shouted, "But these…these…_things _make a mockery of human life!" Colette shrank under Lloyd's passionate fury.

Everyone winced, except Kratos who calmly stated, "We would have lost long ago had we not had them." Lloyd turned his infuriated eyes to Kratos' stony visage.

"Don't you think I know that!" Lloyd was breathing heavily as his passion, his fury swept through him.

"Do you really," Kratos goaded the boy. "If you throw away that Exsphere now, do you really think you can finish this journey?" Kratos seemed to loosen the tension in the air with that statement. Lloyd looked down at his Exsphere, his emotions no longer out of control. Now he looked more like Kratos, emotionless.

"Yeah," Lloyd said after a while. "Without these things, we're just a bunch of weak humans." Genis glanced at Gaar, but didn't say anything. "We can fight because we have these. I know that." Lloyd reattached his Exsphere to the back of his right hand. "But," he continued, still looking at his the jewel, "Exspheres exist as a result of taking someone's life!"

"And," Kratos countered. "Those people didn't become victims because they wanted to, but I doubt they would want to be thrown away after being turned into Exspheres."

Colette gathered up enough courage to talk again. "My opinion may not matter much because I don't use an Exsphere, but I believe the Desians will defeat us if we throw away our Exspheres now." Lloyd turned to Colette. "And if that happens, more people will lose their lives to these stones. I don't want that to happen. I don't want this journey to be meaningless." Once Colette finished, Lloyd looked down at the ground.

"Colette's right," Kratos added. "We can throw away the Exspheres at any time. But right now, we must carry the weight of the hopes and dreams of those victims and fight for their sake, as well as our own. Didn't you say you weren't going to hesitate anymore?"

Lloyd looked at Kratos, annoyed. But after his words sank in, Lloyd sighed in defeat. "Yeah," he said. "I hate to say it, but you're right." Lloyd looked down at his Exsphere. "Mom's regrets and wises dwell in this thing." Lloyd looked back up, determined. "To prevent creating more victims like Marble and my mom, I'm going to help Colette. I will fight for both myself and my mom who lives on within me." Kratos gave a small sigh of relief and nearly imperceptible smile, but he replaced it with his usual indifference before anyone took notice.

"Yeah, me too." Genis added. "I'm going to fight on Marble's behalf as well."

"Me too." Colette quivered with resolute excitement. "I'm going to regenerate the world as quickly as I can."

"People by nature are sinful creatures." Raine's somber remarks toned down the atmosphere. "All life survives at the cost of another. Animals eat plants or other animals. The creation of these Exspheres was a sin against other sentient beings, we share in that sin for using them, and we will have to bear that burden for the rest of our lives."

"Life survives at the cost of another…" Sheena murmured. "I don't know how to say this," Sheena said, "but I don't think there is a way to justify the lives sacrificed to make Exspheres. They have to be stopped at all cost!" Everyone stared at Sheena after her outburst.

"I too think that Exsphere production has to be stopped." Everyone turned slowly to look at Gaar, who sat cross legged behind Sheena. Sheena attempted to back up, but tripped. "Isn't Colette supposed to do that?" Colette smiled and blushed.

"Hey Gaar?" Gaar looked at Genis. He stood like he was ready to follow Noishe to the mainland. "Are you… feeling ok?"

"I'm… ok. The last thing I remember was those… screams." The tension released like air out of a balloon. Gaar palmed his forehead before he looked back up. "Then everything went red. I don't remember anything after that." Gaar glanced around and asked, "How did we get back to this delightful place?"

"Sheena saved us… Gaar?" Gaar looked at Colette. "Do you mean to say you don't remember any of the things you did?" Gaar shook his head. "None of it, not even the part where you saved the people that were dying by destroying the machine that was killing them."

Gaar looked wide eyed at Colette and asked in amazement, "I did what!"

"Heh heh," Lloyd laughed. "You should have seen Kvar. You had him quaking in his boots."

"Wow," Gaar said, astonished. "Now I wish that I could remember. That Kvar guy… angered me. I mean, he killed people without any regret at all. Just to make… them." Gaar pointed at Lloyds Exsphere. Everyone but Kratos nodded solemnly.

Kratos looked at Gaar's distraught face and asked, "If I may ask, where did you learn to harness Mana." Gaar looked at Kratos blankly.

"What you seem to have forgotten," Raine explained, "is that in the ranch you defeated a number of Desians with magic. A rather large amount of it." Raine scrutinized Gaar closely, as she would a ruin. "Do you have any idea how that is?"

Gaar looked at Raine as she seemed to hover an inch away from him. "I have no idea how to even use magic," Gaar said finally, firmly.

Raine nodded her head, as if coming to a decision and said, "Well, your Mana signature says clear as day that you are capable of using magic, even though you are human." Closing her eyes Raine nodded again and said with finality, "Then it's decided, Genis and I will teach you to control it." Genis grinned, Lloyd looked disappointed for an unvoiced reason, and Raine was too busy thinking about training Gaar to seem anything but excited.

"Can't humans use magic?" Gaar looked inquisitively around the group.

"Even I haven't met a human capable of casting magic," Kratos answered, "at least, not one without an Exsphere. My own exosphere belonged to a Desian Evil Sorcerer, which is how I am able to cast what little magic that I do."

Gaar looked down at his hands, at the burn marks caused by the burning sword, at the dried blood and dirt. "Great, I'm a freak and a psychopath…" Gaar voice wavered.

"Gaar." Gaar looked at Lloyd, who had his fist clenched in front of him. "You are not a freak or a sign-co-whatsit, Ok. You're just different, and that is ok. It's alright to be different. Look at the Professor and Genis, they aren't even human, they're Elves." Gaar looked at the two Elves who nodded guardedly. "And take Colette," Lloyd continued, "she isn't a normal human either. She is an angel."

Gaar looked at Colette who giggled and said, "Well, I'm not completely done releasing the seals, but look I have wings." Colette's violet effervescent wings appeared from behind her. Gaar's eyes widened.

"Wow," Gaar exclaimed, amazed. "I guess being different _is_ ok…" Gaar looked at Lloyd and asked, "What is different about you Lloyd?"

Lloyd scratched the back of his head and laughed lightly. "The only thing Lloyd is good at is fighting," Genis said flatly.

Lloyd turned to the small Elf and said, "Shut it, Genis."

"Lloyd can also craft stuff," defended Colette. "Like this bracelet, see." Colette held up her right arm and showed Gaar the hand carved wooden bracelet with a little figure of an angel carved into it.

Lloyd crossed his arms and struck a haughty pose. "See Genis, I can do more than fight."

"Actually Lloyd," Genis replied flatly, "crafting and sword fighting are the only things you're good at."

"Sadly, I agree with Genis," added Raine.

"And his swordsmanship is… quite rough," Kratos put in.

"Kratos, Professor, not you two as well." Lloyd pouted. Noishe, who felt forgotten, howled his agreement. "Noishe!" Lloyd whined.

"So," Gaar said at length, "I can use magic. Does that mean I have to use a… Exsphere?"

Raine was about to respond, but before she could, Genis said, "I may not be able to read Mana signatures as well as Raine, but even I can see that you have so much Mana that you probably wont need an Exsphere at all."

"Yes," Raine agreed, "your Mana moves as if you already had several Exspheres equipped. So you should have no trouble using magic without one." Lloyd got up and stretched. As he did, the sun broke over the horizon and cast its luminous gaze upon Luin Lake.

"Alright," Lloyd said to everyone, "let's get out of here." He moved toward the bridge connected to the mainland.

"Hold it." Lloyd stopped in his tracks and everyone looked to Kratos. He leaned against the broken fountain wall with his head cast down, his eyes closed, and his arms crossed. "Do you plan to infiltrate the ranch again?" Lloyd opened his mouth to answer but Kratos continued. "Kvar will undoubtedly have increased the security by now. We won't be able to get in easily, if at all." Lloyd again was about to say something, but stopped again and closed his mouth, his face furrowed in thought. Gaar stood up and looked down when he heard a scraping noise. He reached down and picked up Lloyd's sword. Gaar walked over to Lloyd and held the sword out to him hilt first. Lloyd, broken out of his train of thought, looked at the weapon as if it had the plague, but hesitantly took it and sheathed it.  
Raine's face lit up and she excitedly said, "I remember there was someone who escaped from the ranch." All eyes turned to Raine. "He may know another way in."

Then Sheena's face lit up. "I know him," she said. "His name is Pietro. He should still be in Hima."

Lloyd looked at Sheena, confused. "Why do you know him?"

"I…" Sheena hesitated when everyone stared at her. "It doesn't matter, does it!" She looked at everyone in quick succession, at their disbelieving features. "I have my reasons," she said, ending the interrogation.

"Hmm…" Lloyd shrugged. "Well, whatever." Lloyd walked casually toward the bridge again. "Okay, let's go to Hima! We'll see if this Pietro can get us into the ranch." Lloyd's stomach let loose a growl. Lloyd looked down at it and said, "I'm starving. I think it's Genis' turn to make sandwiches!" Genis gave a groan as if to say, 'it's always my turn.'

"And you," Raine said as she pointed at Gaar, "are going to learn to control that magic of yours _before_ we get there." Gaar looked at Raine, determination burning in his eyes. Everyone followed Lloyd onto and across the bridge.

Genis leaned over and quietly said, "Good luck."

Gaar looked quizzically at Genis as the two of them walked across the bridge, Raine directly behind them. "Luck… for what?"

"Raine's lessons can be… painful…" Genis was promptly smacked in the back of his head. "See what I mean," Genis said while he rubbed the sore spot. He was smacked again.

When the group had reached the other side, Noishe ran up to Lloyd and started to lick his face furiously. Lloyd laughed as the anxious dog let out yips of joy.

"I'm glad to see you too Noishe." Kratos chuckled to himself. Gaar grinned wide. No one else paid attention to the boy and his dog and left Lloyd and Noishe behind. When Lloyd noticed that everyone had left him behind he shouted, "Hey, wait up," as he ran to catch up.

* * *

A giant blooming flower that glowed blue floated in the center of a small dark room. In the center of that flower was the image of a serenely sleeping young woman. From the floor rose four black posts. The walls of light that shimmered between each post trapped the flower inside of a prison of light. The flower sometimes collided gently into one of these walls, but was gently repelled when that happened. In doing so, the flower was kept in the center of the four posts. 

A man walked slowly up to the shimmering wall and stood silently. The light given off from the flower and the walls of its prison bathed him in a rainbow of colors. He stood and stared at the woman sleeping in the flower for hours on end. Never once did the man blink, nor did he move at all, not even to breath.

The door behind the man opened slowly and revealed a floating woman. The woman was surrounded by floating panels connected by a ring that was about the height of the woman's head. The woman floated up behind the man and stood, silent.

"I said I did not wish to be disturbed, Pronyma," the man said venomously. The woman didn't flinch from the tone of voice.

"My lord," said the woman, "you said that you wished to be notified the moment the boy was located. Kvar has just reported that the boy had made an appearance at his ranch. In fact, he reports that the boy used his powers to destroy all the machinery in the entire facility. It will take some time to repair the damage and start producing Exspheres again. And it appears that the boy has joined the Chosen's group."

"Hahahahaha," the man laughed evilly. "Run, run, run little boy." The man turned and faced the woman. "Pronyma, order Kvar to send his best commander to track down the boy, but not to harm him or the chosen. Just have them… play with them a little. Hahahahaha." The vile laughter of the man reverberated off the walls of the small dark room.

The woman bowed low and said, "Yes, Lord Yggdrasill." The woman turned and floated out of the room as the bemused Lord Yggdrasill turned back to the glowing flower.

* * *

Ok, that should do it. As Contraltissimo is fond of asking, Who is this kid. Uses magic, lots of it, Lord Yggdrasil knows about him, the Renegades want him, the Desians are trying to hunt him down, but no one seems to know who he is or where he is from, least of all Gaar himself. And now he's hangin with the chosen... We'll have to see where the story leads us. 

A/N: hehe, had to fix something Tobiasa pointed out...hehe sorry if you got several emails saying this story was updated three times.. cause they were all minor changes really...

Please Reveiw if you liked this chapter, you might get a magical cookie...


	8. Don't Use Too Much

Hello, welcome to Chapter Eight of "Tales of Symphonia: Dark Tidings"!

I'm glad that my story has interested you so far, and I hope to continue to do so. I beleive that there are no spoilers if you've never played the game, I'm trying to keep that to a minimum. Please point out where I do let some slip if you would. Anyway, I decided what main weapon Gaar is going to use, and as I've said, I worked the names of the Suggesters into the story. Lots of drama too. Hope you like it.

On with the story!

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia!" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

"Owwoooo…" Noishe, who was leading the way, turned and ran the other way past the group at full tilt. 

"What the," Lloyd exclaimed. "Where is he going?" Lloyd watched the dirt and rocks fly up into the air behind Noishe as he ran. "That is unusual…"

"Lloyd!"

Lloyd turned to Genis and then turned and looked at what he was pointing at. "Oh," Lloyd said. Making its way toward the group was two Cockatrices and three Giant Beetles. "Get ready you guys." Lloyd looked around and saw everyone was already prepared, so he joined them by unsheathing his swords. As soon as the first Cockatrice was within range, Lloyd and Kratos swung into action, Colette let loose her Chakrams, Genis started chanting a fire based spell, and Sheena had to jump away to avoid being slammed into by a berserk Giant Beetle.

Raine pulled Gaar away from the others and said, "Now is the perfect time to attempt to use the healing spell I taught you. Don't worry if you don't get it on your first try, magic isn't nearly as easy as swinging a sword around." Gaar nodded and closed his eyes, mumbling to himself. Raine turned back toward the fighting members of the group and started chanting herself. After a short pause, she shouted, "First Aid!" A green glow formed around her feet and shot across the grass without as much as a whisper to slam into Lloyd. Lloyd's body didn't get thrown from the impact of the green Mana. In fact his wounds that the flailing Cockatrice had inflicted on him were healing themselves.

"Okay," Gaar said quietly to himself, "open my mind and feel the Mana around me." The air around Gaar swirled around him but for only a few seconds. "Okay, that was new. Now I need to pull that into my body and…" The wind came back but disappeared just as quickly. "Hmm," Gaar moaned quietly, "The Mana won't stay inside me. Now what?" Gaar looked at the other and found Lloyd still fighting the same Cockatrice, but Colette and Sheena had joined him. Kratos was fighting the other Cockatrice by himself.

"Fireball!" shouted Genis. The three balls of flame flew toward the last remaining Giant Beetle and fried it to a crisp. The corps of the dead Beetle landed right in front of Gaar, still smoking. Gaar looked at the corps and realization dawned on his face.

"I think I get what Mana is… It must be those flames on the monster, the flames I saw before in the forest, they weren't actually fire, they were fire magic, and magic is Mana… So maybe if I…" Gaar closed his eyes again, his brows furrowed in concentration as his entire body glowed green. The air around Gaar's body swirled with the ferocity of a fierce gust. Raine stopped chanting to herself when she noticed the bright green light emanating from Gaar's body. Her mouth dropped open in shock as Gaar opened his eyes and shouted, "Oh yeah! I got it!" And then he shouted, "Almighty Regen!"

The green light flew off of Gaar's body like the polarity of the magnet holding it there had been instantly reversed. The light flew through the air and attached itself to all the members of the group. They all looked shocked as the light enveloped their entire bodies, the Cockatrices reared back in fear of the light, and Gaar fell to the ground breathing heavily. The light slowly faded from the bodies it had enveloped and left behind completely restored images. In fact, there was no evidence of dirt on their clothes, scuffs on their shoes, or blood on their weapons.

"Whoa," Lloyd said looking down at himself.

"Amazing," Colette said looking at where a Giant Beetle had torn a large hole in her dress, only to find it mended without trace of there ever being a hole. The two giant birds were slightly less flabbergasted which let them start attacking Lloyd again. Lloyd jumped back as two beaks slammed into the dirt. Kratos jumped high into the air and drove his sword into one of the monster birds. It gave a high pitched "Skreeeaaww…" as it fell to the ground in a heap and disappeared.

The other bird reared back and was about to attack again when Sheena started slapping it with sticky strips of paper until finally she slapped the last one on it's head and shouted, "Pyre Seal!" For a second the bird stared at Sheena and then its head exploded in with a dull thud. When the smoke cleared the birds head was badly bleeding, one eye was missing and in its place was a bloody hole, it beak was blown off of its face. But it was still alive. It started flailing wildly about knocking Sheena back a few feet onto her back. When Lloyd tried to slice its head off in a finishing blow, it head butted him in the gut and sent him flying. Colette followed after Lloyd to see if he was alright, Raine went with her. Kratos was calmly assessing the situation as he walked around the bird and was about strike when he caught sight of Genis and backed off.

"Grave!" shouted Genis holding up his Kendama. The ground below the trashing bird shook violently before three spears of granite shot out and pinned the Cockatrice in their grasp. It wiggled and tried to free itself for three seconds, and then died when it was skewered by a fourth spear of rock that came bursting from the ground directly below it. The rocks faded from view, the Mana from the spell dispersing, and left the fading remains of a shredded bird.

The wind blew across the field, Noishe trotted back up to the group, Kratos sheathed his sword, and everyone stared at Gaar, their mouths were hanging slightly. Gaar was still on the ground breathing easier than before but still labored. Slowly he looked up and grinned. "Hehe, wow that was cool!" Gaar fell onto his side in the grass and laughed. "I didn't realize what magic was until I saw the after effects of Genis' spell… those flames that burn after the spell made me realize that magic wasn't some invisible unseen force. "

"You mean even after I cast the spell, you could still see the Mana that I used," asked Genis incredulously. "There's just no end to the surprises with you, is there?" Gaar grinned up at Genis as he stood up.

"What was that amazing spell you used," asked Colette as she walked over to Gaar.

"Yeah," added Lloyd, "I've never seen a healing spell that healed not only wounds, but mends clothes, and cleansed weapons. Heck, I think the only thing it didn't do was feed us…" Lloyd stomach growled as he looked down and rubbed it.

"Yes," agreed Raine, "Most healing spell stop at living biological matter. But your spell restored all physical scars indiscriminately."

"I don't know where it came from, it just all clicked when I realized what magic was. Then I just concentrated on what I wanted to happen and then it did. I didn't even have to pull Mana in, though I did feel it coming into my body anyway. I do know that it was really…tiring." Gaar put his hand to his head and grimaced. "Ugh…man now I have a headache."

"No doubt from using such a large amount of Mana. You lack control and efficiency, though not much more could be expected from your first attempt." Gaar glared at Kratos who turned and started walking on followed by Noishe who wagged his tail slowly back and forth.

"He's so full of encouragement." Gaar took a step and nearly fell over. Colette grabbed him with a surprisingly strong grip and held him up.

"Yeah," agreed Lloyd. "You going to be ok, you don't look so good."

Gaar nodded, "It's just this headache is… ugh… man it hurts." Gaar stood still again and held his head.

"Gaar," Genis said, "You used a pretty big chunk of your Mana. If I'd used that much I'd have a huge headache too. Try not to use so much next time." Gaar nodded his head in his hands which caused him to groan again.

"We won't be able to move quickly if Gaar has this headache." Lloyd said observantly. "Professor, can you help him?"

Raine stood and stared at Gaar for a moment then took her staff and held it over Gaar's head. "I don't know if this will work, but we'll find out in a moment." She said. The staff glowed green for a moment. "Charge," Raine said quietly. The green glow moved through the air to Gaar's head and then down his body. The glow disappeared and Gaar let go of his head and blinked.

"Ugh… I don't know what you did Raine, but my headache is almost completely gone." Gaar took an experimental step and didn't fall over. "I think I'll be able to go on now."

"Please," Raine said. She put away her staff, folded her arms, and closed her eyes. "While I am teaching you, you call me 'Professor', got it?" Gaar swallowed audibly and nodded. "Now let's move on." Raine took off down the path following Kratos who was already a ways down the path. Sheena followed Raine with Genis not far behind. Gaar took off down the pathway, looking around at the flock of birds making their way across the sky. Colette followed Gaar, concern in her eyes as she watched to make sure he didn't fall again and Lloyd brought up the rear.

A gust of wind rolled across the plains now surrounded by forests on either side. The path way narrowed as the trees got closer and closer to the pathway until it veered off to the right. Kratos though, led the group into the forest to the left of the pathway. Kratos came to a clearing and motioned for everyone to stop.

"What's wro-"

"Shhh!" Kratos turned from a bewildered Lloyd and listened again. Birds tweeted and flew around the forest. Mushrooms monsters wandered about. The wind blew gracefully through the upper branches of the trees. Nothing seemed out of place, all was peaceful. Kratos suddenly turned and shouted in hushed tones, "Find cover!"

Everyone dove behind a bush or tree as four figures made their way into the clearing. They grunted as they toted large bags on their backs. The person leading the group of four stopped in the middle of the clearing and turned to his compatriots who stopped in a crude circle of sorts. Two of the newcomers had bows slung over their shoulder and a quiver stuffed full of arrows strapped diagonally across their backs. The leader wore a headband and had a magical cloth covered his mouth. A large dagger was strapped to his left leg. The fourth, who was the only one not carrying a large bag, walked with a staff and wore a long pointy hat with a wide brim.

"I don't see why we have to do all the heavy lifting while Karina over there gets off easy." The Thief motioned toward the Witch opposite him in the circle.

"Its cause you stole so much, Dorfus," replied the Archer to his right.

"Yeah," agreed the other Archer, "if you didn't steal so much off those Desians, then we'd have less to carry."

"Well," Dorfus replied smugly, "I can't help it when they transport so much valuable stuff at one time. They were just begging to be robbed." Dorfus shrugged and opened the bag in front of him. He pulled out a small black cube and while tossing it in the air said, "Like this stuff, what ever it is, they were oh so protective of it. But what is it? It's harder than steel but its light and it appears to be some kind of metal. Stuff like this has to be valuable." Lloyd and Sheena were peeking above the bush they hid behind, but couldn't see anything.

"Lloyd, I'm going to climb this tree," Sheena pointed to a tree to their right that was wide enough to stand behind without being seen.

"What," Lloyd whispered in incredulity. "Sheena you can't be serious."

Sheena nodded and said, "I want a better look, don't worry, I'll be ok." Before Lloyd could say anything else, Sheena had scrambled silently over to the tree and was quickly making her way up without any noise."

"Sheena!" Lloyd said as loudly as he dared. "Sheena, get back here." But it was too late, she was already lost in the branches above the ground.

"True enough it could be valuable," said the Witch Karina, nodding her head. "But where are we going to sell it, who would buy it. Most of this stuff I've never seen before, it could be valuable, but it could also very well be garbage."

"Yeah," said the Archer to Dorfus' left, "it's probably worthless. And where did you hear that the Desians were transporting such a large cache of junk in the first place, I mean it isn't like they broadcast their movements."

Dorfus crossed his arms and chuckled. "I got the information from my contacts, that's where. And it wasn't just one but _two_ different, independent contacts at that. That is how I knew the Desians were coming this way and _that_ is how I know it's valuable."

"Who?" All three of Dorfus' companions stared at him. Sheena now crouched on a branch directly above them, she was scanning the 'garbage' in the bags as best she could. Kratos noticed Sheena in the tree and smacked his head in frustration. Colette had sidled up to Lloyd who was watching Sheena's every move with apt attention. Gaar was hiding behind a tree and watching the four thieves. He was unconsciously rubbing the side of his head and grimacing every now and again. Raine and Genis were hiding not far away behind a bush, their weapons were at the ready.

"Eh..Heh heh…" Dorfus looked around at his compatriot's scrutinizing stares and sighed. "I got it from Contraltissimo and Tobiasa. There you happy." The two identical Archers grinned smugly and snorted. The Witch Karina held a hand over her mouth and giggled. Dorfus grew angry and shouted, "Hey, it's not like you guys-"

A loud cracking sound came from the tree next to Lloyd, but his face matched Sheena's as she and the branch she had been sitting on fell fifteen feet. She landed directly on top of one of the Archers, his bow was knocked off his shoulder. It flew through the air and knocked Gaar in the head. Gaar and the bow both fell to the ground.

"Who the hell are you?" Dorfus asked as he pulled his knife out of its sheath quicker than an oil slick and held it menacingly toward Sheena. But he was too surprised by her sudden entrance to do anymore. The Witch Karina recovered her wits faster than the Thief and started chanting. Green Mana started to swirl about her. Lloyd jumped into the clearing and ran toward the Thief, Colette right behind him. Sheena flipped up and away from the knife toting Thief while Kratos unsheathed his sword as he went to join the fight. Genis and Raine stayed behind the bushes and stood up, each starting to cast a spell. Gaar slowly stood up and studied at the offending bow critically.

"Wind Blade!" The Witch Karina shouted, casting her wind magic on Lloyd. Lloyd didn't see it coming.

"Ahh…" he screamed as he was sliced up by tens of sharp blade composed of compressed air.

Almost as soon as the slicing stopped, Raine shouted, "First Aid!" Again, the green Mana flew across the ground and into Lloyd, healing his wounds. Grunted, retrieved his swords, got up, and attacked the Archer he was playing with before.

Kratos was having it out with the Thief Dorfus, but he was dodging all of Kratos' thrusts and parrying a few of his swipes. Not one to give up easily, Kratos jumped back a few feet and then sprang forward with agility that surprised the Thief Dorfus. Kratos ended his bewilderment with a slice across the man's abdomen. Dorfus fell to the ground and then onto his side, clutching the profusely bleeding wound.

Sheena was in a similar situation. She attempted to slice at the Witch Karina with her cards, but the Witch kept dodging out of the way. The Witch attempted to knock Sheena in the head with her staff, but Sheena dodged the swing easily. Colette's Chakram suddenly flew above Sheena's head and chopped off the top of Karina's hat. The Witch stopped long enough to glower at Colette who caught the returning Chakram with ease. Then the witch had to dodge another card attack.

"Thunder Blade!" Genis cast his spell. The Mana in the air built up rapidly until several large bolts of lightning fell from the sky. They all struck the Witch Karina and caused the immediate area around her to electrify as the massive electrical charge dissipated. Sheena had to jump back to avoid being caught in the spell. The Witch Karina though, survived the spell.

The Archer was adeptly side stepping all of Lloyds attacks. Lloyd was giving the Archer all he had. He yelled "Sword Rain" and jabbing with several quick thrusts, but the Archer jumped back and, knocking an arrow in his bow, drew back the string and released. The arrow flew true and sank deep into the arm of its target. The target didn't even flinch. She just looked at the arrow, then back at the Archer who was still sidestepping all of Lloyd's attacks.

"You bastard!" Lloyd shouted when he saw who the arrow hit.

Colette's face grew dark, and her face had trouble twisting to portray the alien emotion of anger. Yanking the arrow out, she threw it to the side and immediately held up both hands. Her luminous wings appeared out of her back and feathers of light started rising in a circle from around her. She slowly rose into the air a few inches as she summoned light Mana out of the surrounding area, making the entire forest darken.

"Oh, Holy One." Colette was now making the sight of the cross over and over, her eyes remained closed. "Cast thy purifying light upon these corrupt souls." The light around Colette shot up into the heavens as she shouted, "Judgment!" The sky parted as hundreds of beams of light shot earthward. Lloyd lunged one final time in an attempt to skewer the Archer, but he leaped backwards and knocked another arrow. Just as he was about to release the bow string, a beam of searing white light shot down directly on top of the Archer.

"Thanks Colette!" Lloyd shouted. He ran toward the Witch Karina as Sheena attempted to stick a few of those strips of paper onto her without success.

Kratos was chanting a spell, his body glowed green and the Mana left his body and hit Colette as he said, "First Aid!" He hurried over to the blond and said, "Next time, be more careful." Colette nodded. She and Kratos ran over and engaged the Witch Karina who was somehow able to dodge all of their attacks. Genis and Raine ran into the clearing to get a better view of where they were casting their spells, Gaar followed them.

Before Gaar managed to get near the others, he fell to the ground with a cry and clutched his head. "Ahh…" He was cringing on his side next to the downed Archer that Sheena had fallen on. Gaar looked up at the battle through squinted eyes and saw that the five people who were frantically trying to hit the magnificently elusive Witch had cornered the woman. But she was still able to dodge the blows of every single thrust, swipe, throw, or any other variety of attack that was thrown at her.

Then the owl that was sleeping in the tree that she was cornered against woke up and with a lout "Hooo… Hoooot!" it walked out onto its branch. Everyone stopped fighting and looked up to see the owl ruffle its feathers and then something white and liquid like fell.

"Aaaahhhhhh!" Everyone looked at the screaming Witch Karina as she desperately tried to wipe the owl poo out of her eyes. Everyone stared in shock as the woman fell to the ground and writhed in pain. Kratos snapped out of his stupor first and swung his blade down hilt first and knocked the poor woman out.

"Kratos.." Gaar whispered through the pain behind his eyes. His eyes were losing focus as he watched the bleeding Thief sneaking up behind Kratos, his bloodied knife in hand. "Kratos, look out…" But Gaar's voice was too raspy and pained for Kratos to hear.

"Man, all that fighting and we never laid a finger on her…" Lloyd shook his head at the unconscious Witch on the ground. Then he looked up in the tree and watched the owl as it settled down in its tree hole and went back to sleep. "And that owl took her out like it was nothing." Sheena was on her knees breathing heavily and sweating profusely.

"I'm not sure what to make of it either Lloyd." Genis watched the owl as well.

"Thank you Mr. Owl!" Colette waved at the sleeping bird. Raine shook her head as did Kratos, who sheathed his sword.

"Kratos," Gaar rasped. "No, Kratos, look out!" The Thief had gotten with in range and was about to plunge his knife into Kratos' neck. But he stopped and clutched his wounded abdomen tighter. Gaar, who could barley see or move because his eyes felt like there was a super nova going on behind them, reached over and grabbed an arrow out of the quiver that unconscious Archer next to him was wearing. Knocking the arrow back, Gaar pointed the arrows point at the Thief who had once again pulled the knife back. The point waved back and forth as Gaar tried to aim with is dying eye sight.

Kratos whipped around when he heard the distinctive whistling of a high speed arrow. He looked down when he heard the arrow pierce flesh and organ.

"Kratos!" shouted Lloyd, Genis, and Colette in unison. Raine gasped with Sheena who looked up quickly.

But the arrow had not bit into Kratos. It was sticking out the right ear of the Thief and the left eye socket, eye ball missing, his hand was still raised high in the air. The Thief gave a few gurgles as more blood dripped from his mouth staining the Magical Cloth and slowly fell backwards. His dead body hit the ground with a sick, wet thud. Everyone looked at Gaar, who was face down in the dirt unconscious, still clutching his head with one hand, and the bow in the other.

* * *

Man, I feel sorry for that Karina person...I bet she's happy Elephants don't fly...lol, ok bad pun...

Wow, I didn't realize how long two battle scenes were, especially when the second group of enemies were like...super powered or something...anyway, please review!


	9. Devious Plans

Hello!

This be Chapter Nine, subsequent to Chapter Eight and prior to Chapter Ten... OK, enough with the stupidity...

I have decided that I will take any idea's for this story, it was really fun working the last suggestion in, and I look forward to doing so again, personally, I though it added to the context of the story.

On another note, I have been thinking about the muse thing... a lot of authors have them, alot don't. Some are silly, some are serious, and some are copywrighted. I am going to create two, not for any real reason other than it amuses me. Introducing Royal Intrigue, a.k.a, "Inri". And Royal Pain In The #$, a.k.a, "Pit(a)". They are at most two of the voices running around in my head, which can get pretty funny when I think about. Well, now that I've named them, I'll let them speak.

**Inri:** "Hello. I exist to torture PITA with... well, you'll just have to see. I also help come up with plot devices, and some twists that might be coming up... you'll just have to read to find out."

**Pit:** "FINALLY! Do you realize how many cobwebs we had to get rid of. Geeze... Not to mention Inri's annoying riddles... It's insane!"

Well... There you have it... muses, what's next?

On with the story!

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia!" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

It was cold. A chill wind kept it that way. Always cold in Hima. The graves of would be heroes covered the mountain side, maintaining the somber atmosphere. The single building on the side of the mountain had a sign in front of it that read, "Echoes." Inside the lounge of the lone building, Colette paced back and forth as Raine kneeled next Gaar with her staff glowing a bright green over him. Sheena sat next to the fire place talking with Corrine and Genis was sitting on the other side of Gaar watching Raine work. Lloyd and Kratos were making loud grunts and shouting as they trained outside. 

"Raine, I know you said he would, but do you think he'll be ok. He hasn't woken up yet and you're still healing him." Colette stopped pacing back and forth to look at Raine for Genis' answer.

"Oh please, Professor, please say he'll be ok." Colette clasped her hands in front of her and pleaded with her eyes.

Raine sighed and the glow stopped emanating from her staff. She shook her head and stood up. "That is the best I can do for him. He's not physically hurt, at least not from what I can tell, but he seems to be losing Mana."

"What?"

"I don't know how it's possible either Genis, but that is what seems to be happening. Perhaps when Gaar cast the healing spell earlier, he used too much Mana or something to that effect. I just simply don't know. I've never met anyone whose body and Mana were composed in this manner." Colette and Genis looked sadly down at Gaar. "I tried to fix the damage by closing the places where his Mana was bleeding off, but I don't know if it will last. Right now, he just needs to rest."

Raine walked over to the fire place and slumped onto the bench next to Sheena. "You don't look so good." Sheena observed. She glanced behind her at Colette praying and Genis pacing. "Will he make it?"

Raine stared at the fire, her eye lids drooping. "Yes," she said, "I believe he'll make it. But I'm afraid that until we figure out why he started losing Mana in the first place, he'll never fully heal." The two women continued to stare into the crackling flames.

* * *

Two kids burst into the small one room home. Their bursts of joy and laughter brought smiles to the nursing mother in sitting in front of a fire and the man that followed the two children into the home. The man untied his waist strapped sword and rested it against the wall. The taller of the two children ran to the nursing woman and jumped up and down a few times. The shorter one mimicked the elder boy. 

"Mother! Mother!" the elder boy exclaimed jubilantly.

"Mother! Mother!" repeated the younger lad.

"Mother!" continued the elder boy, "Father took us to the Castle! He bought us some fruits, Mother, Fruit!"

"Fruit, Mother, Fruit!" the younger mimicked.

"All right, all right, fruit!" the mother laughed. The baby cradled in her arms gurgled a few times and started to writhe about. The mother cooed at the baby and he again calmed and napped. "Keep it down, Kent, Christian. The baby is sleeping."

"Come boys," the man said from the other side of the room, "eat your supper."

"Yes Father." The two boys chimed in unison. They ran the small distance to the small table and started to slowly down a soupy mixture of grains and water.

"Bernard?" The man looked at the mother. Hesitantly, she asked, "Did you find… anything?"

"Aimee… I looked everywhere." Bernard sat down next to Kent and Christian at the table. "I even got a knight, a real knight, to help me search." Aimee's face started to brighten, but Bernard's remained downtrodden. "We couldn't find any trace of him." Aimee's face fell. Tears fell down her pale cheeks. She turned to the fire place and glanced up at the wooden crucifix on the mantle. The firelight turned her tears to prisms of light.

"Dear Lord," Aimee prayed quietly, "Please, watch over our son. Become the beacon of light that guides him home. Amen."

"Amen," chorused the two boys quietly. Bernard lowered his head and stared at the floor. Tears slid down his face as his large form was racked with great, heaving sobs. Kent was staring at his father and crying as well. Christian looked down at his food quietly.

"Father," Kent said quietly, breaking the somber atmosphere. "I have faith in the Lord. I know he'll be ok. Please do not grieve so." Bernard shook his head without looking up. "Father," Kent continued, "what about what the knight said, how we could live in the castle with the Lord Damien." Aimee looked at Bernard curiously. Bernard wiped his eyes and looked at Aimee and nodded. Aimee's eyes widened in surprise and her mouth fell slightly.

"He said he was impressed with the boys' chivalry. It seems they have been bringing all the good Christian families in the surrounding area into the castle walls."

"You mean the raids. Oh I do hope he is safe out there with those barbarians roaming the countryside." Aimee looked back at the fire. Cautiously, slowly, she asked, "What do you think we should do?" Bernard glanced at the two boys behind him, then at their half-full bowls of food. The two boys got the hint and started eating again.

"I think I saw one of the barbarians on the way back from the castle." Aimee turned sharply to Bernard. "And in the castle, I heard rumors of the hoard moving in this direction from the south. They've already destroyed three villages."

"SNAP!"

"CRASH!"

"RAAAAA!"

Everyone in the room jumped to their feet. The two boys ran over and hid behind Aimee, who was attempting to shush the upset child in her arms. Bernard unsheathed his sword and quickly went to the side of the door. The entire home was quiet save for the whimpering of the three children and the crackling of the fire. Seconds turned into minutes, minutes to hours. Sweat dripped down Bernard's temple as the sword wavered in his hand.

"RAAAAA!" a blur screamed as it wildly burst through the door, splintering it into a million pieces. Bernard was knocked onto his back, his sword just out of reach. The two children and their mother cowered in the opposing corner of the small house. What stood in between them was a terribly frightening barbarian. He held in his right hand an Axe covered in fresh blood. Small tendrils of steam rose from the crimson dripping Axe, the moon illuminating large man from behind. He was breathing heavily, his breath shooting out from his large metal helmet. His blood shot eyes fell upon the huddling woman and her three children and a large, malicious smile crept onto his face, his eyes spoke of slaughter.

He slowly crept toward, his axed raised, and his laughter growing ever louder, ever blood thirsty.

* * *

"Nooo!" Gaar shot up, covered in sweat, breathing heavily, and looking around frantically. Staring back at him were Colette, Genis, and Lloyd. Slowly Gaar stopped looking around frantically. He sat up on the floor of "Echoes" Inn and stared at the floor while holding his head. 

"Gaar?" Gaar looked up into the concerned face of Colette. Genis and Lloyd shared that face on either side of him. "Thank goodness you're alright." Gaar stared at her for a minute before glancing at Lloyd and Genis. "You were out for the whole night, it seems you not only used too much mana, but you were awake for three days straight."

"I'm…" Gaar's voice sounded like scratching sand paper on wood.

"Here Gaar." Genis handed Gaar a glass of water. He drank it rapidly, then coughed and spit a little of it back up. "Hey, not so fast Gaar. You'll choke."

"Genis, you're starting to sound like Raine." Genis scowled at Lloyd.

"So Gaar, how do you feel?" Gaar finished the water and put the glass down.

Looking at Colette, he answered, "I feel much better. My headache is completely gone." Colette smiled and giggled. "… I hope what I was having was just a nightmare…" Gaar said under his breathe. No one seemed to notice, but Colette's right eye brow twitched. Gaar looked around the lounge and asked, "Where is everyone else? And… is this Hima?"

"We got here yesterday," Colette said. "When you fainted, Kratos had to carry you the rest of the way. By time we got here, it was already getting dark so we decided to rest for the night here." Gaar stood up and looked out the window. Outside the sun was rising over the mountains, the Tower of Salvation rose serenely into the sky casting a long shadow behind it.

"What's that?" Gaar pointed at the Tower of Salvation.

"What's what?" asked Lloyd. The three crowded around Gaar and looked at what he was pointing toward. "Oh, that… hmm, I'm not sure…"

"Uhh… Lloyd, that's the Tower of Salvation. Duh." Genis shook his head in disappointment. Colette giggled. A red faced Lloyd turned to Genis and was about to say something smart when the door opened and let in Raine, Sheena, and Kratos.

"I see you're awake," Kratos observed, "good."

"Gaar," Raine said, "please come over here so I may examine you." Gaar walked over to Raine, not seeing the faces that Lloyd and Genis made. Colette skipped behind Gaar, following him to stand before Raine.  
"Hold your arms out." Gaar did as commanded. Raine went over every inch of Gaar's body with a critical eye. Finally she stood back up and said, "It appears that your Mana has stabilized," she said. "For now anyway," she added under her breath. "Until we figure out what caused you to rapidly lose Mana, I am going to suspend your Magic lessons."

Genis walked up behind Gaar and snorted. "Lucky you, Gaar."

"Instead," Raine continued, glaring at Genis, who swallowed audibly, "you will concentrate on your Archery skills." She handed Gaar a Bow and a quiver stuffed full of arrows. Some even had different tail feathers. Gaar looked at the bow in amazement. He ran his finger along the ornate designs and patterns along the grip.

"This isn't anything like the one the guy in the forest was using," Gaar pointed out.

"I took the liberty of having the customizer craft you that bow out of the strange material the thieves were 'liberating' from the Desians." Gaar looked at Kratos and started to say something, but he cut him off. "Consider this a formal thank you for saving my life." With that Kratos turned and walked out the door calmly, collected, and stiffly. As usual. Gaar looked down at the bow again, admiring the craftsmanship.

"I wonder what it was, the material I mean." Lloyd unsheathed his sword, Colette her Chakrams, Genis his Kendama, and Raine her Staff. They were all of the same new material as Gaar's bow. Some were mixed together with other things such as brass, or crystals, but for the most part, every item was a darker blue.

"I don't know what they're made of, but I can't wait to try these out. I feel stronger already, yeah!" Lloyd started swinging his new swords around. They made a low humming noise at high speeds that soothed the ear.

Genis' Kendama was made almost entirely of the dark blue material, but the ball at the end of the string was a silver ball with small studs. These studs came into contact with Lloyds' head and made him stop his mad swinging.

"Ow…" Lloyd rubbed his head and glared at Genis, who had his hand over his mouth and was laughing.

"Ok you two, stop fooling around and let's go, we have a ranch to take care of." Genis continued laughing as he ran out of the room. Lloyd growled and ran after him. Raine just sighed and followed.

Colette turned to Gaar and asked, "You coming?" Gaar looked up from his bow and nodded. He tied the quiver to his left side, slung the bow across his back, and followed Colette outside.

"So how are we going to get into the ranch?" Gaar asked.

"We already took care of that. While Colette, Lloyd and Genis were watching over you, Sheena, Kratos, and I went and retrieved this orb. In exchange, we must find a way to cure Pietro of his sickness." Raine pulled a black orb out of her pocket. "According to Pietro, there is an entrance to the base hidden behind a boulder somewhere right outside of the patrol routes. This orb is supposed to open that entrance."

"How come you couldn't heal him now Professor?" Raine looked at Gaar and shook her head sadly.

"I do not know any spell that would heal that man of what is afflicting him." Raine looked down at her hands sadly. "Though it appears that Sophia knew of a spell that Master Boltzmann created, so we'll have to search for that."

"Was there really a boulder there?" Genis asked, changing the subject. He scratched his chin in thought.

"I do recall something that seemed unnatural…" Kratos started walking slowly toward the path out of Hima.

"Yes," Colette said, "let's check it out." She ran to catch up with Kratos.

"Yeah, let's," agreed Lloyd as he ran after Colette. Genis and Gaar looked at each other, shrugged, and took off, Raine hot on their heels.

* * *

The room's deafening silence was broken by the clinking and chinking of the pitch black armor. The eyes of the man inside of the armor were burning red, almost with a glow. He walked up the long, dark stairway. Once the armored man reached the precipice of the stairway, he walked to within three feet of a throne and kneeled. 

"Lord Yggdrasill," the armored man said in a voice so deep and base that the very air seemed to vibrate.

The blond angel looked down upon the armored man and said, "Black Knight. I have called you forth to serve my bidding. Will you do so… unquestioningly?"

"Ye_sss_…' Yggdrasill smiled at the malicious hissing coming from the Knight.

Yggdrasill stood up and started to walk to the side of the room where a computer terminal was set up. He typed a few keys and a holographic image of Gaar appeared to his right. "This is your quarry, I wish for him to be destroyed. Hunt him down and kill him."

"Ye_sss_…"

"He travels with companions. They are _not_ to be killed."

"Ye_sss_…"

"Now go." Yggdrasill pointed back down the stairway and watched the Knight get up and make his way back down the stairway, his black armor clinking and clanking. Each of his foot falls seemed to leave dents in the floor in the shape of his armored foot. Yggdrasill grinned from ear to ear, his eyes burned with inhospitable hatred. "Now little boy, your time is up!" Yggdrasill laughed maliciously for a long while the image of Gaar floated in the air.

* * *

**Inri**: "Well, I wonder who that Black Knight is... I know, but I wont tell..." 

**Pit**: "You know, sometimes, I wonder if you're more of a pain than I am. I mean, what's worse than baiting someone's apetite for knowledge and then leaving them dry. Not fair I tell you, not fair."

**Inri**: "Life isn't fair. It most certainly wasn't fair to you or me."

**Pit**: "Just because we're siblings doesn't mean life's unfair." _Starts poking Inri in the shoulder constantly_

**Inri**: "Life, I will get my vengence..."

Well, those two are getting alone nicely... On another note, Yggdrasill has found a new minion, and he's sporting all black... that's fun, but not servicable in heat though. Please review.

**Pit**: "Yeah, review or else..." _Still poking Inri in the shoulder_

**Inri**: "That was my line you moron. Review and I'll tell you how I will punish my _dear_, _sweet _brother..."

**Pit**: _gulp_


	10. Dreams and Nightmares

Welcome!

This be chapter Ten, Yay!

Inri: "He's written ten chapters… He's going to do that thing anytime now…"

Pit: "What thing?"

Inri: "It involves explosions, pointy objects, and Cheese."

Pit: _Sigh _"Not again with the riddles… Fine, I'll just pester you until you tell me." _Starts poking Inri in the shoulder._

Inri: _Forces fake smile. _"Stop now, please, or else…" _Grabs Pit's hand and twists it at an odd angle._

Pit: "Ahh, ok ok, I'll stop. Ow ow ow."

Do I need to separate you two?

Pit & Inri: "…"

On with the Story!

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia!" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

"Commander Ikarus!" The Desian commander turned to the approaching whip master. "Commander!" The Desian stopped in front of Ikarus but was unable to speak. He bent over as he attempted to regain his breath. 

Ikarus stood there, arms crossed, waiting for his subordinate to answer. "Well," he said impatiently.  
"Commander, we've found the boy's trail. It leads to Hima." Ikarus nodded slowly. The whip master continued, "Sir, a scout team has been sent forth to ascertain the exact location of the boy. They will report back via teleport."

Ikarus continued to nod as a smile crept onto his face. "Excellent. At this rate, we'll have the boy back in custody in no time. No time at all. Ha!" The whip master heisted before he moved to leave. "Stop!" The Whip Master slowly turned to his commander as he asked, "What else is there to report?"

The whip master looked up into the eyes of his superior officer and began to tremble. "S-sir, there was a r-report that a transport unit had been hit by a group of thieves. They were carrying the new substance sent down from Lord Yggdrasill." Ikarus' right hand began to tremble as his face slowly turned red. The whip master melted like butter under Ikarus' gaze. "I-it c-could have b-b-been the Ch-ch-chosen's group." Ikarus clenched his fist so tight the leather on his glove ripped along the seams. The whip master crouched and covered his head as he finished rapidly saying, "That's all there is to report, Sir!"

"Ahhhh!" Ikarus' enraged scream could be heard for miles. Birds fell from the sky in shell shock. The whip master in front of Ikarus was buffeted by multiple wind blasts. An Evil Sorcerer walked up to the heaving Ikarus and motioned for the whip master to leave.

While the whip master high tailed it out of the vicinity, the Evil Sorcerer turned to Ikarus and said, "Sir, Grand Cardinal Kvar sent us an order, we are now to kill the boy instead of capturing him alive." Ikarus' face seemed to twitch a little as his eyes widened. "The orders regarding the Chosen of Mana have not deviated, however."

Ikarus recomposed himself and looked out over the grassy plains. "So the boy dies now, interesting." He turned and walked back toward an encampment a short distance away. "Inform the scout team upon arrival of the change in orders. And inform the men they will have no new armor or weapons, it seems that the materiel it was to be made from has been…" Ikarus paused and scratched his chin in thought, "stolen by the Chosen of Mana."

"Sir!" The Evil Sorcerer saluted and moved toward the second of the three tents. Ikarus went into the first and sat down in front of a field table covered in maps. He picked up a red pen and started drawing a red line from an emblem marked 'Asgard Ranch' to one marked 'Hima'. Sitting back Ikarus stared at the map in front of him.

"First the boy appears outside Iselia." Ikarus puts his finger on the emblem representing Iselia and traces his finger long the red line from there to the emblem marked 'Iselia Ranch'. "Then Lord Forcystus captures him and sent him to the Asgard Ranch via teleportation." His finger stopped above 'Luin' where a blue line from the Asgard Ranch and the red line from Iselia ranch intersected. "However, he didn't make it, some kind of malfunction. But my men did report that there was some kind of disturbance when we were attacking the Pathetics here." Ikarus tapped the 'Luin' emblem a few times before he moved his finger back to the Asgard emblem. "Then he shows up at the ranch he was supposed to arrive at in the first place. But instead of subduing him, they were barely able to withstand him. He destroyed the factory! And then heads to Hima. But what is he going to do next? What is he doing with the Chosen?"

The same Evil Sorcerer from a moment before entered the tent and saluted. "Sir, we've made contact with our secondary objective. The supply caravan has arrived."

Shaking his head, he stands up and faces the Evil Sorcerer. "Excellent, supply them with the planned escort to the ranch. And order the men to pack up, we're moving out."

"Yes Sir!" The Evil Sorcerer turned and left the tent.

Ikarus turned and looked back down at the map, his forehead creased in concentration. "Where are you headed now little, filthy human."

* * *

"Okay Gaar. Destructive magic is, in my opinion, ten times harder than Healing magic." Genis summoned a fireball into the palm of his hand. Gaar put down his freshly empty dinner bowl and turned to the fireball. It gave off sparks as it twirled about in his hand. The light from the fire bounced off of Gaar's dilated eyes. 

"Okay, but I don't see how that is harder than healing." Kratos sat down on the other side of the camp fire and started to eat the food he left there. Lloyd came back a short while afterward, limping, bruised, and bleeding slightly.

"Kratos," the bruised boy mumbled as he fell to the ground next to him. "You didn't have to be so rough, did you?"

"Humph." Kratos continued to eat his bowl of soup. Lloyd just leaned back carefully, hurting some of his bruised body parts, and shut his eyes.

"Gaar? … Gaar! … GAAR!" Gaar snapped his head around and looked back at Genis.

"I'm sorry Genis. It's just that… well Lloyd…" Gaar shook his head as he trailed off.

"He wished to push himself too far, I simply obliged." The two younger boys stared at Kratos while Lloyd groaned.

Continuing to shake his head, Gaar said, "Genis, you were saying that Destructive magic is harder than Healing, could you explain what you meant?" Genis dissipated the fireball in his hand and crossed his arms in thought.

"I'm not sure how to put it into words exactly… The best I could do would be to say that when you use Healing magic, the Mana only has one purpose, to heal. You create it and it creates fixed wounds." Gaar nodded and wrapped his arms around his legs. "When you cast a Destructive spell, the Mana still has only one purpose, but it switches from creating fixed wounds to destroying flesh and all other manner of physical objects. So you'd have to switch its purpose halfway through casting…"

"Huh?" Gaar was looking sideways at Genis.

"I told you this was hard to explain, so bear with me."

"I'm trying Genis, but what do you mean by changing the spell's purpose half way through the casting?" Gaar tried to raise his eye brow, but failed.

"What he means is that for the first half of the casting, you create the element in a defined space with the express purpose of existing, and then you change the purpose and make it destructive." Raine, Sheena, and Colette walked over and sat down by the fire. "Perhaps it would be better," Raine continued, "if you looked at it this way. If you gather snow into a ball, you have a snow ball, right?" Gaar nodded, Colette, who sat down on the other side of Genis, nodded as well. Genis closed his eyes and nodded. "Suppose that snow ball was a ball composed of Mana, and you were using that Mana as part of a spell. Now, you could use that snowball to hurt an opponent if you throw it at them, the same goes for the Mana in a spell, as long as you change how you're focusing the magic. Instead of healing, you focus on how you want the Mana to attack."

Gaar looked at the crackling fire. "Hmm… I think I got it. Instead of continuing to concentrate on creating, I must switch my focus to how I want to the Mana to attack my opponent. Therefore going from healing to destroying."

"Exactly." Raine's eyes lit up. "Gaar, I'd have to say you are a student on par with Genis."

Genis nudged Gaar in the side and said, "That's good, cause you don't want to be like Lloyd."

"I heard that Genis. Oww…" Lloyd rubbed his bruised elbow. Genis chuckled and Colette giggled.

"Humph." Kratos put down his bowl of food and stood up. "We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. I suggest you get some sleep." Everyone eventually found a place around the fire where they went to sleep. Lloyd stayed in the same position he had fallen over in and fell asleep with his hand over his face, making his snoring sound muffled. Kratos sat next to a sleeping Noishe and watched Tethe'alla as it rose into the sky.

Kratos ear twitched. He looked to the left, into the burnt remains of Luin, then to the right, into the forest. He stood up and in the process woke up Noishe.

"Hmmm…." he whined.

"Stay here Noishe. I'm going to check something out." Kratos turned and walked into the forest. His form disappeared from view and all was silent.

"CLANG!"

"Hmmmm. Hmmm-hmmm-hmmmm…." whined the green and white dog. Noishe trotted over to Lloyd and started nudging him with his nose. "Hmm-hmm-hmmmmm."

"No...no more…" Lloyd swatted at the dog unconsciously. "No, I swear dad, I'll remember the vow next time…. Let me eat… please…I'm starving…"

"Hmmm…" Noishe put a paw onto Lloyd and started shaking him.

"CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!"

Noishe looked quickly up at the forest then went back to pawing Lloyd. "Hmmm-hmmm-hmmm-hmmm-hmmmmmm…"

"I'm so hungy…starving…please, I'll remember next time…starving…" Lloyd rolled onto his side.

"Grrrrr… WO-WO-WO-WOOF!" Lloyd shot into the air and landed on his feet. "WO-WO-WOOF!"

"Noishe!" Lloyd looked down at the dog. Noishe turned and faced the forest. "Noishe, what's wrong? Where's Kratos?"

"WO-WO-WO-WO-WOOF! AWOOOOOOOOOO!" Gaar slowly sat up and wiped his eyes.

"What, is it time to go already?" Gaar stood up to yawn and stretch but stopped mid way when he saw Lloyd running toward the forest and Noishe running the other way. "I don't think that was the answer I was looking for…" Gaar turned to Genis and Raine, who were sleeping next to him and started shaking them. "Raine, Genis, wake up…"

"I want to go play… please, sis…"

"Maybe if I replace the sugar with the salt…"

Gaar gave up and crawled over to Colette, who was 'sleeping' on the other side of the Sage siblings. "Colette…"

"I'm awake!" Colette sat up and looked at Gaar. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure, but Kratos is not here, Lloyd went running into the forest, and Noishe ran away from the forest."

"CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! SHIIING! CLANG! BOOM! THUD! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!"

Colette features grew worried. "Oh no, I hope they'll be alright." Gaar moved to Sheena and shook her. Colette moved to Genis and Raine and attempted to wake them.

Corrine appeared in a puff of smoke next to her head. "Can't you tell, Sheena's sleeping, what's wrong?"

"CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!"

Corrine looked toward the forest and then turned back to Sheena. "Wake up Sheena, there's a battle."

"Yeah wake up Sheena!" Gaar shook Sheena again. A blush appeared on her cheeks.

"…mmmbm… idiot! ...stupid! ...philandering moron…" Sheena snorted and sat up quickly, her eyes half open. "Wha- what's going on? It isn't morning yet…"

"Sheena, there's a battle, let's get over there." Gaar stood up and moved back over to the Sage siblings. Corrine faded from view. Sheena rubbed her eyes and started searching her personal being.

"I'm all set. Colette, Garr, I'm going on ahead. Hurry up when you can." Sheena took off toward the forest.

"CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! SHING! SCHEW-SCHEW-SCHEW! KA-BOOOM!"

"Professor please wake up, we got to help our friends." Colette was shaking Raine's shoulders up and down gently.

"I can't…ruins…can't leave ruins…" Raine's eyes snapped open and she sat up quickly, taking in a large breath of air. "What! It isn't morning! Colette, what's going on?"

"KA-BOOOM! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!"

"Professor, a fight is going on in the forest." Colette pointed toward the forest. Several beams of light shot into the air as more battle noises were emitted. "Lloyd, Sheena, and Kratos are all alone! We have to help them!"

"Yes, we'll go immediately." Raine turned to Gaar. "Gaar, please wake Genis and follow when you can." Gaar nodded. Raine and Colette ran toward the forest and disappeared.

"SHING! SHING! SHING! BANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CRRRRAAAAACK! WOOOSH! KER-THUMP!" A tree in the forest fell over.

"Genis, wake up!" Gaar shook Genis as hard as he dared.

"I...srry…..mmmrrble…I…srry…" A tear slid down Genis' check as he came too. "Huh? Wha… where am I?" He looked around. "Where is everyone?"

"There is a battle going on in the forest, I stayed to wake you up." Gaar stood up and anxiously moved toward the forest. "Come on!"

"CLINK! KER-POW! KER-BANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!"

"Okay, okay, hold on, let me find my Kendama." Genis stood up and looked all around him. Gaar saw the Kendama lying next to his bow. Smacking himself in the face, Gaar went over and gathered the weapons.

"Here, I found it." Gaar tossed Genis his weapon and the two sprinted toward the forest. "It's a lot more quite than before…"

"Yeah," Genis agreed. They entered the forest, the air still and stale. The sounds of night had left when the fight started. "I can't see anything!" He held his hand in front of him and conjured three fireballs. The fireballs were rotating around his wrist. What they saw left them slack jawed.

"Is… is that Kratos… unconscious…" Genis stammered. Gaar walked over to the man and poked him."

"Ugh…" Kratos winced at the physical contact. Genis reached into his side pocket, pulled out a Life Bottle, and popped the cork out of the top.

"Open wide Kratos." Genis held Kratos' nose and poured the liquid down his throat. Kratos choked on the liquid before he swallowed audibly.

"Ugh… Where am I?" Kratos sat up and rubbed his head.

"We were hoping you could tell us…" Kratos looked at Genis who looked out into the forest. "I hope my sister is alright." Kratos stood up and searched the ground. Then looked up and reached out. He grabbed the hilt of his sword and with a great heave, pulled the blade from the tree.

"HAAAA! SNAP! CRASH! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!"

Kratos looked up. "That sounded like Lloyd."

"Yeah," agreed Genis, "and not too far away either."

"Let's go!" Gaar ran off in the direction of the noise. The trio ran through the forest, Genis' fire bracelet lighting the way until they came to the edge of the forest. "I was sure that noise came from here." Gaar walked out of the forest and turned around. Scratching his head he said, "I wonder where they went."

"Hey, Kratos, what was that noise we heard? Why were you unconscious?"

Kratos turned to Genis. "I was at the camp when I heard a suspicious noise. When I investigated I was attacked from behind by something black as the forest around me. I barely dodged the first sword swipe. When I counter attacked, I found his armor to be too thick to penetrate. Then who ever it was knocked my sword and me into a tree. That's all."

"Hmm…" Genis looked out over the field. "Hey guys…is that… It is! They're out there! I can see Raine casting Sharpenss now. Let's hurry up." Kratos bolted immediately, Genis and Gaar followed as quickly as they could. The three ran across the plain for minutes on end. Slowly Sheena, Raine, Colette, and Lloyd came into view, but the opponent they were fighting barely reflected any moonlight and was hard to pinpoint among the darkness.

Lloyd jumped to the side, the side of his left boot being shaved off by a sword as black as night. Colette's Chakrams flew through the air and bounced off the black head armor with a 'ping'. Sheena was constantly circling around the large armored man, searching for a weakness, an opening, anything. Raine glowed green for a moment and shouted, "Heal!" Her body glowed bright green. The green light shot out of her body like a bullet and slammed into Lloyd, healing a large gushing wound on his arm.

"Thanks Professor. Whoa! Guardian!" A green bubble of Mana appeared around Lloyd. As the sword came into contact with the sphere of Mana, the bubble started sinking. The giant sword was repelled only enough to stop its momentum. After the defense technique faded, Lloyd backpedaled to get out of range of the large sword, which came crashing down again. Everyone stopped moving and stared at each other. The hot breath vapors rose from the armored helmet. Lloyd jumped into the fray again, bringing his left sword up to knock aside the downward stroke of the larger sword. "Sonic Sword Rain!" Lloyd started jabbing the legs of the armored behemoth faster and faster until with on final lunge, he thrust his sword so hard that it got stuck in one of the joints of the leg. Lloyd jumped back as the Black Knight brought its sword back down. "Man, I didn't even scratch him. Nothing we throw at this guy works. Even a tree fell on him and nothing happens."

"Uh… Raine…" Sheena was looking at the armor with a Magic Lens. "It doesn't have a name, in fact… it doesn't even have a health count… this thing is invincible." Sheena dropped the now useless Magic Lens. "Looks like physical attacks won't work."

"Well then let's try using magic, Colette, you use angel techniques and Sheena, you use what you think will be effective. Lloyd!" Lloyd dodged another swipe of the sword and looked at Raine. "Keep him busy."

"Yeah," Lloyd said sarcastically. "I don't think that will be too difficult." He jump back and twisted to the side as the Black Knight slashed diagonally at him and the made a jab. The edge of the blade sliced open Lloyds right sleeve with a whisper of a touch. "Hurry up! I don't know how long I can keep this up with only one sword!"

Raine nodded and turned to Colette and nodded. Colette sprouted incandescent lavender wings from her back and started to pray. Raine closed her eyes and began chanting, a white glow emanated from around her feet and from the jewel on top of her staff. Sheena worked her way around to the back of the Black Knight, but every time she attempted to get in close, an armored fist swung around behind him with agility that belied his size. Feather of light began springing from the ground in a circle around Colette and the light beneath Raine grew brighter.

"Oh Holy One, I beg of you to reveal thy glory. Angel Feathers!" Colette's wings glowed brightly as feathers started shooting off forming rings of light.

The feather rings shot toward the Black Knight as Raine shouted, "Photon!" Bright white light started shining from within the pitch black armor and poured fourth from every crack that could be found. Suddenly though, the feather rings veered from their trajectory and started swirling around the Black Knight.

"You ready Colette?"

"You bet Professor," she the cheerful reply.

"Holy Rings of Light!" they both shouted. The rings of angel feathers went from bright lavender and violet light to bright white light and twirled around the Mana faster and closer. The bright white light shining from within the armor grew brighter and brighter until Lloyd and Sheena had to shield their eyes.

"Heh… heh heh… Ha… HA… HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!" The booming, deep, base laughter coming from the Black Knight threw everyone off their feet. They looked up in horror as the Holy Rings of Light were sucked violently into the armor of the Black Knight. The bright light shining from within died down and darkness took its place. "You pitiful beings and your planets pitifully weak Magic. Ha!" The Black Knight started walking toward Lloyd again, each step shaking the earth, his armor clinking heavily. "You do not have what it takes to defeat a true Knight! You are too weak." The Black Knight held his sword vertically over his head and brought it down on Lloyd.

"Aaahh-Shing!" Lloyd looked up to see Kratos. "Kratos… Y-you saved me!"

"Are you alright?" Lloyd nodded at Kratos' back. Gaar and Genis ran up to the group to see the Black Knight picking up his sword. "Good. Be on your guard next time." Lloyd scowled as he stood up.

"I'd like to see you do better, oh great mercenary Kratos!" Lloyd and Kratos jumped apart as the Black Knight's sword.

"It doesn't matter how many of you pathetic weaklings there are, you cannot defeat me." The Mana froze in place. He slowly turned until he was facing Gaar, who had an arrow aimed at his helmet. "You… You will die NOW!" The eyes of the Black Knight burned red as flames of hate sprout from the viewing hole in his helmet. Gaar trembled and lowered his bow as the Black Knight charged towards him. Each of his heavy steps left a small crater in the ground.

"Spread!"

"Angel Feathers!"

"Photon!"

"Thunder Blade!"

The Black Knight was lifted slowly into the air by a gigantic plume of water Mana. While in the air, an enormous bolt of lightning in the shape of a sword fell from the sky. When the bolt of lightning hit the metal armor, it lit up like a Christmas tree. As the Black Knight fell a white light again started shooting forth from within the black armor and the rings of angel feathers sliced through the joints of the armor. The Black Knight fell to the earth.

"AAAAAHHHHHH-BOOOM!" The explosion threw everyone back several yards.

Slowly Lloyd stood up. Walking over to the edge of the crater he said, "I think that got him, but we can't be too careful."

As Gaar sat up to look at what happened, Lloyd's unconscious body flew past him. He rolled a few times once he touched the ground until he came to a halt, covered in blood and cuts.

"Look out. Ahhhh!" Colette was flew through the air and landed beside Lloyd, her wings shimmered and blinked a few times before she fell unconscious and they disappeared completely. Gaar looked back at the crater to see the Black Knight running faster than he should have been straight for Genis.

"Ahh, get away from me." The Black Knight picked up Genis by his shirt and threw him at Raine. Genis' form almost disappeared from sight as he flew through the air until he collided with Raine's head. They both fell to the ground unconscious, Raine's nose was bleeding. Gaar stood up slowly and started to run toward Lloyd and Colette when Sheena's body just cleared his head. Her body landed next to Lloyd and Colette's.

"Sheena, Sheena!" Corrine appeared in a puff of smoke next to the unconscious ninja. "Sheena, wake up!" Gaar looked back at the Black Knight to see him attempting to hit Kratos, but Kratos was now moving at speeds Gaar had never seen him move at before. Every time the Black Knight would throw a punch, Kratos just barely moved out of the way in time.

"You are much stronger than your companions, but it won't last for long. Prepare to DIE!" The Black Knight held out his hand and his pitch black sword flew into it. He swung downwards at Kratos' head but his sword was there first. The two swordsmen locked blades for minutes on end, sparks flew between the swords as Mana started to bend the air and heat the ground. Slowly Kratos was pushed back, though every now and then he would slightly glow white and push the black sword back an inch before he winced and lost two inches.

"I won't be defeated so easily," Kratos retorted.

Gaar picked up his bow, knocked an arrow, and shot at the Black Knight. The arrow 'pinged' off of the armor.

"You will be next, boy!" The Black Knight hadn't even looked at him but his voice rung through the air all around Gaar. Gaar looked at the bodies around him.

"I know I can't use magic without hurting myself, but if I can't use these powers to help my friend when they need me the most, what good are they." Gaar closed his eyes. "I'm sorry Professor, but I'm going to try to use magic again." A strong wind began circling around the locked swordsmen, half of it white, the other half dark purple.

"What's this wind?" Gaar reached out and his hand passed right through it. "It's just like the fire Mana. But this purple one is much stronger. If the white one is from Kratos, then he won't last much longer." Gaar set up another arrow and pointed it at the dark metallic form of the Black Knight. "Let's see, I need to pull Mana and change its purpose…" A red hazy glow surrounded Gaar's Mana wind buffeted form. "Ok, I have the Mana, but now I need to change its purpose..." The red haze wavered a bit but didn't change in any shape or form. "Ahh… it isn't working."

"I've had enough of this," boomed the Black Knight. He pulled his sword back and started bashing it against Kratos' sword over and over, each blow causing the weakening mercenary to lose ground. Finally the black sword slammed into Kratos' blade and sent it flying. Kratos jumped back just as the sword came down where he was standing.

"I will not fall as quickly as before." Kratos jumped left and right, avoiding several swipes and kicks. "You may be more powerful than me, but you are unable to hit me with all the weight of that armor." Kratos jumped into the air to avoid having his legs sliced off. The Black Knight continued to swing his whole body around and kicked Kratos out of the air. "Oof!" He landed on his back and did not rise.

The Black Knight turned to Gaar, who was still holding an arrow pointed at him. "You will not be able to defeat me with those, pathetic little boy. Now die!" The Black Knight walked slowly toward Gaar, who had his eyes closed. The flames coming out of the Black Knight's helmet grew larger. The dark purple wind grew darker.

"Oh," Gaar moaned in frustration. "Why can't I just shoot the Mana at him…! I got it." Gaar concentrated and the red haze surrounding his body moved to concentrate in his hands and then from his hands across his bow and onto the arrow. Once the arrow was glowing red, Gaar opened his eyes to see the Black Knight swinging his sword. Gaar's mouth dropped open and in his surprise, he let go of the taught string. The string, wanting to be in a state of rest, pulled forward and launched the arrow forward at a speed faster than the sword was swinging. When the arrow left the bow, it burst into flames, and went streaking toward the Black Knight. The fire Mana propelled the arrow faster and faster until it struck the black armor of the Black Knight.

* * *

Inri: "Ahh, sweet cliffhangers… my bread and butter!" 

Pit: "So… why did the Black Knight attack? "

Inri: "It could be the fact that he is an enigma. And that Yggdrasill ordered it, but aside from that I don't know. But I do know why he was so strong. And it might have something to do with Gaar…"

Pit: "What?"

Inri: "I'm not telling."

Pit: "Tell ME!" _Starts to throw a tantrum by jumping up and down._

Inri: _Sighs and walks off._

Ok… Pit needs some time to himself. Please review so he'll stop that... it's kind of... disturbing.


	11. The Lair of the Beast

Uhh… Sierra, please don't mention fire around Pit. _Whispered _He is a pyromaniac…

**Pit**: _Jumps up and down a few hundred times in a few seconds._ "Fire! Where, where's the fire! Fire! Fire,fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire!"

**Inri**: _Massages her forehead._ "Ugh, not again…"

Oh no….

**Pit**: _Suddenly appears inside of a tank._ "Sierra, this means WAR!" _Tank starts rolling off._

**Inri**: "Oh no! PIT! Get your (the next four word are CENSORED) back here. Oooh boy it's too late. Sierra, watch out, he's tricky."

On with the sto- WHOA did he just fire that cannon?

**Inri**: _Moans into her hands._ "Pit, don't shoot that in here."

"BOOM"

**Inri**: "No, that was the plotline for the next chapter. You idiot!" _Runs after the belligerent idiot in a tank._

Before he blows anything else important up, On with the story!

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia." – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

A deep base voice rung through the air, "AHHHHH!" 

Gaar's eyes shot open and he sat up. His heavy breathing slowed dramatically and his mouth fell open. "I… I… I don't get it… it was… only a dream?" He looked around at the others spread around the fire exactly as they had been before. Even Kratos was asleep, slumped on his side. Gaar stood up on shaky legs and looked all around him. "No, it couldn't have been a dream… could it?"

Gaar walked over to Lloyd and looked down at him. "He still has the bruises from Kratos' training." Upon inspecting Colette he saw that she was also peacefully sleeping, a slight smile played across her face as she dreamed. "Colette's definitely out like a light bulb." Gaar moved to sleeping Sages and poked Genis.

"… Mmm…" slowly Genis sat up and rubbed his eyes. "What? What is it Gaar?"

Gaar kneeled down and said, "Uhh… you didn't just have a weird dream about a black knight, did you?" Gaar watched Genis' expression go from bed head to shock.

"You mean you had that dream too?" Gaar nodded. "I thought I was gonna die!"

"Yeah, I was about to be sliced in half when I woke up. Everyone else had been knocked out, even Kratos." Gaar looked over at the mercenary as he rolled over and crouched into a fetal position.

"I remember that thing running at me after knocking out Colette and Lloyd, he moved so fast though. It didn't seem possible that someone wearing that much armor could move that fast." Genis rubbed his head. "My head hurts just thinking about it. I hope that monster didn't hurt Raine." Genis looked down to see dried blood on Raine's face. "That monster, he did hurt her."

"Actually Genis, you did that when you collided with her." Both boys looked over at Kratos as he sat up. "This wasn't what I expected," he muttered to himself.

"Kratos!" both boys shouted. Colette started to move and she too sat up. "Colette!" they both chimed.

"Oh! Good morning!" She smiled and waved at them cheerily.

"Colette, didn't you have that dream. The one with the guy in black armor." Colette looked at them curiously.

"You mean you had it too, I thought it was just me." Colette looked down at her hands. "That's funny. I thought I had a cut on my hand. I guess it really was a dream."

Genis sighed. "Yes Colette, it was a dream…"

"But then why was Professor Raine's nose bleeding?" Gaar pointed at the dried blood on Raine's face.

"I… I don't know!" Genis peered closer at Raine's face and poked the blood spot a few times.

In Hima, an adventurer asked the vendor, "Did you hear someone screaming?"

The vendor shrugged replied, "Yes, but it sounded very far away."

Genis was rubbing a bright red hand mark on his cheek and grumbling as Raine dusted her self off and walked stiffly away.

Gaar turned to Colette. "Would you please stop me from ever doing that to Professor Raine?"

Colette stared wide eyed at Gaar. "Only if you do the same for me." Gaar nodded.

"Ugh…" Sheena sat up and rubbed her head. "Did anyone catch the number of that elemental transport?" Everyone looked at her like she was crazy, except Kratos.

"An elemental what?" Genis asked.

"Uhh… never mind." Sheena quickly got up started searching herself. "Huh… I thought that…"

"Yeah, we all had the same dream." Sheena looked at Gaar in askance. "You know, the one with the guy in black armor." Sheena's eyes widened.

"You had that dream too." Everyone nodded. "Corrine!" A small explosion and a puff of smoke later, Corrine appeared next to the fire. "Corrine, I remember hearing your voice in the dream, did you have it too."

Corrine nodded. "I did have a strange dream. It wasn't like a normal dream though. It felt like someone else's dream." Corrine looked at Gaar and wagged his tail at him. "It was Gaar's dream." Corrine disappeared as everyone looked to Gaar, who just stood there silently.

"Well Gaar?" Gaar looked at Genis, speechless.

"Whoa, my head feels like a balloon." Everyone turned to Lloyd who sat up and held his head. "I think I would rather dream about one of Professor Raine's classes."

"Lloyd, I know that black armored guy was tough, but…"

Lloyd looked at Genis sideways, "Wha… I wasn't talking about him. I was talking about the pink fairies and the Unicorn." Lloyd's eyes widened as everyone's face screwed strangely. "Wait, you all the same dream?"

"Lloyd what did you mean about pink fairies?

"And a Unicorn?"

Lloyd looked at Genis and Colette and blushed, then shook his head. "I'd rather not talk about it." Colette giggled and Genis snickered. "But what about that Black Knight, what happened after I was knocked out?"

"I believe we should ask Gaar, he was the only one left awake when I was… incapacitated." Kratos stood up and turned to Gaar questioningly.

"Well, when that knight defeated you, it came for me… I thought he killed me when I woke up."

"Hey!" Raine ran ecstatically into the gathering around Gaar. "I found something. It's fantastic!" Raine's quick speech made Genis wince. "It's, it's, it's, oh just come see." She ran back the way she came skipping and jumping. "Mwa ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Uhh… Genis what is wrong with your sister?" Genis turned to Gaar and threw his hand into the air, defeated.

"She always gets like this when she is excited. I've tried hiding it…"

"Come on!" shouted Raine.

"Coming Professor!" Colette skipped off, Kratos hot on her heals. When they got there they found Raine stooped down, inspecting the object.

"Is… is that the Black Knight?" Sheena trembled, Genis shook, Colette looked on curiously, and Gaar acted like Lloyd and just stared. Kratos grabbed his sword's hilt.

"Whatever it was, it's dead now." Everyone calmed down, but only a little.

"What do you mean Professor?" Raine knocked her hand against the armor a few times, creating a hollow sound.

"This armor isn't even worthy of calling armor. It's just a thin piece of metal." She stood up and looked down at the husk. "The armor is also empty. Nothing is inside of it. And look at the chest plate, it has been severely damaged and burnt."

"But nothing we threw at it did any damage. How could it just be lying here, dead?"

"I don't know Lloyd, but something did it."

"It must have been magic." Everyone looked at Kratos curiously. He sighed. "Who ever was inside of this armor must have used magic to force us all to dream the same dream. In that dream he would have been invincible. Did any of you notice how the moon didn't move, the stars stayed stationary. Time had stopped for the world, yet not for us." Realization dawned on a few faces. Kratos pointed at the black husk. "Apparently this being was going to attempt to defeat Gaar mentally before physically."

"But we all had that dream. Not just Gaar."

"Did you forget Corrine's words, Chosen? It was Gaar's dream we were all taking part in, therefore Gaar was the intended target. No doubt this Black Knight was surprised when he found us in the dream as well." Kratos walked over and kicked the empty helmet, it rolled away. "Apparently what ever Gaar did, when this thing was defeated, the magic from the spell he was using consumed his body completely."

"That would explain why he didn't attack us out right. He might have feared our combined might." Raine picked up the empty helmet and soot fell to the ground. "He really was burnt to a crisp."

"But Professor, in the dream we couldn't lay a hand on him, how did we defeat him?" Lloyd turned to Gaar. "Gaar do you know?"

Raine turned to Lloyd and asked, "How would Gaar know?"

"Because sis, he was the last one to be awake."

"Oh… Gaar, how did _you _defeat him?" Gaar gulped. The stars above slowly faded from view as the sun crept closer to the horizon.

"Uhh… I was trying to use fire magic…"

"You what!" shouted Raine. Gaar cowered under Raine's overbearing form.

"I'm sorry Professor, but all of you were being hurt. I had to do something. And besides, if I can't use magic when I need it the most, what good is it? It _was_ only a dream, right?"

Raine sighed. "I suppose it is alright, as long as that headache of yours doesn't return."

"So I was trying to use fire magic while Kratos was holding the Black Knight off. I had finally gotten the magic to fuse with an arrow when-"

"Uhh… Gaar, did you say you fused the fire magic with an arrow?

"Yeah Genis, why?"

"Look." The sun broke the horizon and cast its magnificent gaze upon the smoking arrow thrust into the center of the black chest plate. "I don't think that was a dream we all had last night." Genis was pale. Raine pulled the arrow out of the metal plate and examined it.

"This arrow is indeed the byproduct of a magical attack. But the Mana signature is nothing like Gaar's, if possible, it's even… odder."

"I know, maybe its dream magic."

"Lloyd, that is the stupidest thing I've ever heard." Lloyd growled and attempted to smack Genis.

"He could be right."

"Kratos! What do you mean? There is no such thing as 'dream' magic. Lloyd was just saying stuff, like he always does. Oww…" Lloyd succeeded in smacking Genis.

"In any case, the sun is up. We should get ready and make our way toward the Ranch."

"Your right Professor, we have to save all those people, and I want to avenge my mom. Kvar, you're going down!"

"I agree with Lloyd, besides, we promised Sheena." Sheena turned toward Colette and nodded.

"Thank you, Colette."

"No problem Sheena." Colette walked back to camp and started clean up.

Raine wrapped up the empty black helmet in a spare cloth before it disappeared into her brown overcoat. Everyone did their own things to prepare for the fights ahead. Gaar picked up his bow and stared at it.

"Did I really do that…?" Gaar winced slightly and rubbed his forehead unconsciously.

* * *

"Commander Ikarus, we've found something!" Ikarus turned to the offending Whip Master. He ran over to the commander and saluted. "Sir, we've found what appears to be the remains of a metallic behemoth. The mages believe that he was defeated by an extremely powerful magic spell. That might explain the lights reported last night. There was nothing left of the being but soot within the armor." 

"Was there any sign of a battle?"

The Whip Master shook his head. "No sir, it was as if he stood there and let the enemy mage defeat him."

"That was also the reported camp sight of the chosen's group," Ikarus mumbled. "Get back to your duties."

"Sir!" The Whip Master ran back the way he had come. Ikarus slowly walked back toward his tent.

When Ikarus had reached his tent, another Whip Master walked out. He saluted Ikarus when he saw him and said, "Sir! Your tent has been set up and your personal belongings removed from the wing pack. Are there any further orders."

Ikarus nodded to himself. "Yes," he said at length. "Pack it back up, we're moving out in ten minutes.

The Whip Master balked. "B-but sir!"

"I said pack up, we're moving out."

The Whip Master gathered his wits and saluted. "Yes sir!" He turned and dutifully marched back into the tent. Ikarus, mean while, was brooding, lost deep in thought.

"First to the ranch… then to Hima… and then back to…" Ikarus' eyes snapped open and he shouted to the nearest Evil Sorcerer, "You, order the men to prepare to leave. We are heading back to the ranch, on the double.

"Yes Sir!" shouted the mage as turned and ran quickly off.

Ikarus ran back to his tent, which was half way though being dismantled and retrieved his sword. Running back out, he surveyed the rapid dismantling of the half set-up camp. "If that little boy is learning to control his powers…"

* * *

Meanwhile…

* * *

"It was somewhere around here…" Kratos stopped in a clearing just outside of the Asgard Ranch. 

"I don't see anything like a hidden entrance."

"Duh, Lloyd, that's why it's a hidden entrance." Genis sighed and Lloyd turned on him.

"Hey guys, I think I found it."

Everyone looked around, but were unable to locate the origin of the voice.

"Gaar, did you turn invisible?"

"No, Colette." They could hear Gaar laughing. "No, I'm over here, behind this tree." Gaar started to wave his hands up and down behind a tree that was behind several other conifer trees. Once everyone had gotten through the corpulent and furry tree branches, they found themselves facing a large boulder.

Sheena looked around as Gaar hopped out of the tree he had climbed. "Definitely a hidden entrance," she snorted.

"This has to be it." Lloyd's confidence was evident in his stride as he walked up to the large grey rock.

"So it would seem… Let's try moving it," Raine suggested. It was twice as tall as Lloyd, but he none the less put his hands onto the side of it and pushed. And pushed. And pushed. Finally, Lloyd gave up and slid to the ground, panting.

"It… it's no use… It won't budge." He wiped the sweat from his brow. Raine shook her head and Kratos was busy looking at the trees. Colette went over to Lloyd to help him up while Gaar and Sheena kicked the rock, but Gaar kicked it too hard.

"Ow ow…" Gaar hopped away from the rock while holding onto his foot, he fell over shortly afterward. Genis started to snicker until Raine gave him 'the look.'

"Lloyd," Raine exasperatedly handed Lloyd the Desian Orb. "Let's try using this. Pietro said he used it to escape." Lloyd rolled the orb around a few times in his hands.

"Wow, you can see a light from the inside, I wonder if I can do the same thing with some onyx and purple quartz…" Raine sighed and snatched the orb from Lloyd's hands.

"Honestly, you can think about crafting another time." Raine strode over to the rock and after looking over the stone for a few seconds cried, "Aha!" and pushed the stone into a small depression in the rock. There was a slight whooshing sound and the rock rolled by itself away and to the right of the cliff it was nestled against. A dark tunnel appeared as the rock rolled away.

"Bu-but when I pushed it, it didn't even budge…"

Raine marched forward into the darkened tunnel saying, "Let's go, we've got a job to do."

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah…" Lloyd strolled into the small opening with everyone but Gaar following. Gaar stared up at the cliff side and then let his vision settle on the opening.

"Gaar, you coming?"

"Yeah Genis." Gaar re-adjusted the bow hanging on his left shoulder. "I'm coming…" Gaar clenched his shaking fist. "I… will defeat you Kvar. For all those who suffered because of you, you will pay." Gaar's eyes set and he ran into the dark hold in the cliff. The rock rolled back in front of the hole, the black orb fell and rolled onto the ground.

Gaar was surprised to find that further into the dark tunnel lights had been attached to the ceiling. The lights though looked like they hadn't been used in a long while; some of them had already burned out. Eventually the dust filled and roughly cut passageway turned to an immaculately clean and precisely crafted hallway. Light was emitted from where the walls met the ceiling and the floor. Their footsteps, which had sounded like scraping leaves on a blistery day in all the dirt, now sounded like the clapping feet of a tap dancer. Everyone came to a stop in front of a large vent.

Lloyd turned to the rest of the group. "I'm sorry guys, but it's a dead-mmmph" Kratos had covered the boys mouth and all had become quiet. Then voices started to filter though the vent.

"-re they? Lord Kvar will have our heads if we don't find them."

Then a feminine voice added, "They have to be here somewhere, the tracking software put them within the vicinity of the ranch."

The first voice came back with, "But you saw the map! They just vanished from the face of Sylvarant."

"No!" argued a second male voice. "They are here somewhere, they are just in hiding. Remember the tracking software isn't the… hey, did you hear something. It came from this vent."

Raine smacked Lloyd in the head. "Next time don't go shooting your mouth off." Lloyd rubbed his offended head as a tapping and a rapping came from the vent.

Kratos unsheathed his sword, as Lloyd did his own. Raine pulled her staff out and Gaar prepared an arrow. Sheena had her cards in her hand already while Genis fumbled with his Kendama. Colette had her angel wings out and was praying silently. Before anyone could knock the grating away from the tunnel, it fell down on its own. With a loud creaking, the metal groaning, it fell into the Desian fiddling with it and both fell to the floor in a heap. The groups on either side were so surprised that neither did anything right away.

Finally, an Evil Sorcerer pointed at the group and shouted, "Who the hell are you." Lloyd broken out of his stupor, lunged into the room. "Ahh, you're the chosen's group. Sound the alarm! We've found them! We've found the-" The Evil Sorcerer fell to the ground, blood spurting from his torso as Kratos wrenched his sword from the Desian's gut. A Whip Master was running for the wall, a big, bright, red, obvious button was begging to be pushed. Just as the Whip Master had gotten to the wall a high pitched whistle pierced the air and an arrow lodged itself in the back of the Desian's neck, severing his spinal cord.

"I won't be defeated so easi-"

"Thunder Blade!" Genis raise his Kendama and the purple Mana shot to the ceiling, moved to the Spearman, and then shot downward again. The rain of electrical charges fried the female Desian to a crisp. Everyone looked around for more enemies, but found none. They were completely alone in the control room.

"Ha!" exulted Sheena triumphantly. "And don't come back!"

Colette turned to Sheena as her wings disappeared and said cheerfully, "I don't think they can come back."

"Uhh..." Sheena hesitantly replied. "You're becoming more like Lloyd, aren't you?" Colette just looked at her funny.

Lloyd turned to Sheena and asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Sheena turned and strolled toward Raine and Kratos as she said, "Heh… Never mind." Lloyd shrugged and joined everyone as they crowded around Raine. She was studying a device that had a three dimensional map of Sylvarant floating above it. The names of several towns could be seen scrolling next to their locations. Gaar rubbed his forehead again.

"This must be some form of magitechnology. Let me see if I can…" Raine tapped a few of the buttons in front of her and eventually the image floating above the machine fluctuated and shimmered before it fazed out. "Ah! I think I got it. Ok, I'll bring up the ranch wide-map." Suddenly four three-dimensional maps appeared stacked one on top of another.

Colette's eyes widened, "Wow! Professor you're fantastic!" She clasped her hands together and giggled. Raine brushed it off as she continued to type, though she did gain a smug look on her face.

Sheena folded her arms and watched Raine work. "Hmm, so there are people on this side who can operate machines too…"

"On this side?" Genis left the question hanging.

Sheena's eyes widened and she quickly said, "Ah, um, nothing." Then she mumbled, "Just talking to myself." A pinpoint of white light started flashing on the second floor map, exactly in the center.

"This is where we are now…" Raine explained. A new blue light started flashing on the top map. "…and this is where Kvar should be." Raine typed for a few more minutes as information scrolled quickly past on a smaller screen just above the keyboard. Nodding to herself, Raine said, "It appears that in order to get to the floor that Kvar is on, we'll have to deactivate the guard system."

"Guard…system?" Colette scratched her head.

"Here." Raine typed a few more key strokes and a purple light started to flash on the third floor map. "It appears that the guard system deactivates the warp pad that leads to the top floor. This wouldn't be a problem except that Kvar is on the top floor. If we don't deactivate this guard system, we can't get to Kvar."

Lloyd gave out a cry of frustration. "What are we supposed to do then?"

"Calm down," Kratos said coolly. "There should be a switch somewhere to deactivate the system."

Raine again started tapping away at the keyboard, text scrolling down the smaller screen. "Here it is." Two orange lights began blinking on the bottom most floor. "See the two switches at the end of the left and right passageways? Those are the deactivation switches."

"Okay then, let's go deactivate it." Lloyd moved to leave.

"Wait a minute. I'll bring up the route leading to Kvar's room." Raine typed a few commands into the keyboard, and a thin red line went from the blinking white light through the factory, up an incline, into the blinking purple light at the warp pad, and ended in Kvar's room at the blinking blue light. Raine stops typing and studies the map. "It looks like the conveyor belt prevents passage through there. In order to stop that, we'll need to stop the conveyor belt control mechanism, but…" Raine falls silent for a moment. "…it seems it's constructed in such a way that you can't get close to the control mechanism while containers are on the conveyor…" Raine started to type at the keyboard again. "Let's see, in order to adjust the container dispatch control system…"

"WEEEIOOOO! WEEEIOOOO!" Colette grabbed her ears in pain while everyone else looked around the room curiously. Red lights flashed and the three-dimensional map vanished as the machine shut down with a soft whir. Raine attempted to access the computer again, but nothing happened.

"Dammit. They've detected my access of the main computer." Raine slammed a fist into the keyboard, sending a few of the buttons flying off.

"Lloyd, what do we do? The Desians will be here any minute!" Genis looked nervously from door to door around the room. "We don't know where they'll come at us from. We're vulnerable." Gaar knocked an arrow but didn't pull the string back. He pointed the arrow at one door and then back toward another.

"Genis is right, we could be surrounded." Gaar dropped his aim. "It would be a good idea to get out of here."

"Dammit…" Lloyd punched his right fist into his left hand.

* * *

**Inri**: _Kicking body in a bag on the floor. _"If you ever try to do that again, I will do things to you that you wish you'd never heard of." 

**Pit**: _Groans. _"Ohh… like what…" _Groans again._

**Inri**: "Hehehe… like I'd tell you." _Pit_ _escapes the bag while Inri isn't looking and runs away._ "Hey get back here!"

**Pit**: _Still running._ "No, I have to give Sierra a present!"_ Disappears._

**Inri**: _Shouts at the air._ "Like what?"

**Thin** **Air**: "Oh, just a shot from a fully powered Mana Cannon. Mwaaa hahahahahaha!"

I am so sorry Tobiasa. I really am, you are one of my only two faithful reviewers, I can't believe Pit would do this. Please watch out Sierra… _Prays for Sierra's safety._

**Inri**: "I can't believe how stupid my brother is. Men are such idiots!" _Stalks off._

Please review, maybe those will sway Pit back to his senses… maybe…

On another note, I salvaged some of the plot line that was destroyed.


	12. Tragedy at the Ranch

**Inri**: "My stupid brother is still off. Being stupid no doubt."

I would like to thank my reviewers again, mainly Contraltissimo and Tobiasa, and sorry about Pit attacking Sierra... he really is stupid...

**Inri**: "You can say that again! Where did he come from anyway, what part of your twisted mind came up with that thing that is called my brother?"

Uhh... changing the subject. In this chapter...well n/m, you'll find out.

On with the Story!

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia!" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

Raine sighed. "It looks like we don't have any other choice." Raine walked away a little bit before she turned and faced the group. "Let's split into two teams. One will go and deactivate the Guard System. The other will head to and infiltrate Kvar's room."

"What!" Genis burst out. "We're going to split up?"

"There would seem to be no other way." Kratos eagerly added, "I would like to be in the group that goes after Kvar."

"Me too!"

Genis' outburst made Sheena jump, but she added quietly, "And me as well."

Raine shook her head in dismay, and then turned to Colette. Colette was staring off into space. Her reverie was broken when Raine said, "Colette, please choose for us."

She gaped at Raine for a few seconds, clearly flustered. "Ah, um, well, then…" she turned to Lloyd and said cheerfully, "I'll leave it to Lloyd."

"What? Me!" Lloyd had taken a step back. He looked like a wild animal ready to bolt.

"I know you'll do a good job of splitting us up." Colette smiled at Lloyd and he seemed to calm down a bit.

Genis snorted and rolled his eyes. "He lives only by intuition and instinct."

Lloyd glanced at his short elven friend. "What's that supposed to mean?" Then he looked down at the jewel on his right hand. "Anyway, I'll pick. I'm going after Kvar. I want to avenge Mom." Lloyd walked down the steps right behind the group to stand in front of them. "I'll take Kratos and Sheena with me. I'll leave deactivation to the Professor and everyone else."

Kratos and Sheena walked over to stand beside Lloyd. "… Thank you." Kratos' eyes burned.

"Leave it to me. Kvar won't know what hit him!" Sheena imitated beating Kvar's head by slamming her fist into her hand. Lloyd nodded to Kratos and Sheena.

"Leave the deactivating to me." Raine turned and walked toward the front most door of the control room.

Colette turned to Lloyd as she was passing him and said, "It's too bad I can't go with you." Before Lloyd could answer she ran to stand next to Raine.

As Genis passed Lloyd he loudly sighed, making his frustration _very_ evident. "So I'm going to be on the other team." Genis hung his head dramatically. "That's disappointing."

"Lloyd?" Lloyd turned to Gaar. "Be sure to give Kvar my _regards_."

Lloyd grinned like a Cheshire Cat. "And then some," he added. Then he said to Raine, "Let's meet up in the control room." She nodded. Lloyd, Kratos, and Sheena entered into the factory.

Raine turned to the three around her and looked at each of them, her eyes hiding the calculations going behind them. Nodding she said, "Let's get started," and led the group through the door into the main lobby of the Asgard Ranch. Raine stopped though once she had gotten though the doorway. She sighed, annoyed. "We don't have time for this…"

Then Gaar, Genis, and Colette looked at each other as they heard, "Woman! What are you doing here?!" Raine had her staff in her hand before another word could be said. She ran into the room and started bashing an Evil Sorcerer on the head. Behind the Evil Sorcerer were two Whip Masters, a Bowman, and a Spearman, all of whom were moving to attack Raine.

Once Raine cleared the doorway Colette sprang through and flung her Chakrams almost immediately. Genis ran into the room and started casting spells while Gaar stood next to him shooting arrows.

Colette's Chakrams flew high into the air and on their return paths sliced though the fingers of the Spearman. The spear that she was holding fell to the floor as she stared at her single fingered hand. Blood spurt from four finger stumps, two on either side of the remaining finger.

"Ahh… my… my hand…" The Spearman fainted as Colette's Chakrams returned to her.

"Wow," she said, looking at the dark blue rings, "These are very powerful Chakrams. Best to be careful."

"Why Colette?" Gaar then turned and quickly shot an arrow through the leg of the Bowman. The Bowman grabbed his leg and grimaced. He fell to the floor attempting to pull the arrow out of his leg.

"Because," she said seriously, "I don't want anyone to get hurt."

Gaar looked at Colette like she was talking backwards.

"First Aid!" Green Mana slammed into Genis and sealed a few of the cuts that had formed on his arms, courtesy of the two Whip Masters he was holding off with his Kendama.

"Uh, Guys," Genis shouted as he jumped back from a lashing whip. "I could use some help!"

"Oh, right!" Colette rushed to Genis' side and attempted to throw her Chakrams carefully, but she tripped. The Chakrams flew around the two Whip Masters in lazy circles. The Whip Masters stood back to back, attempting to remain still, having seen what the bladed rings did to their comrade's hand. When the rings clattered to the floor, they took a deep breath in unison.

"I though we were goners." The Whip Master's fellow Whip Master nodded solemnly.

"Think again! Ice Tornado!" The air around the two shocked Whip Masters started to spin faster and faster, growing colder and colder until the water in the air condensed and froze on the spot. This swirling mass of frozen bits of water turned deadly when the ice crystals started to slice up the Desians. It became fatal when Colette's Chakrams were lifted up by the twister and began slicing the Desians left ways from right ways. When the spell had run its course, the Desians fell to the ground in several hundred pieces.

Colette stood up and caught her Chakrams as they were about to fly past her. "See," she said to Gaar while pointing at the steaming pile of body parts. One of the organs let loose a burp sound. "That is why it is best to be careful." Genis shook his head and Gaar gaped at her. Colette turned to the pile of body parts and started to pray.

"Let's move on." Raine sounded impatient. She walked over to the stairs leading down and waited while tapping her foot. "We have to deactivate the Guard System before Lloyd and the others reach the warp pad. If we don't…"

"What?"

Raine looked at Gaar, then turned and descended the stair while saying, "The Desians could send reinforcements and overwhelm them. We must have that warp pad activated." The four of them continued down the stairwell in silence.

The room was completely dark when Raine and the other walked in. Raine held up her staff and murmured a few words. The gem on top of the dark blue staff glowed bright. The light only traveled far enough for the four travelers to see each other, whatever was beyond lay in darkness.

"It's completely dark in here, I can't see a thing." Genis conjured a fireball in his hand. The fireball flew off into the darkness and after a while of traveling the light from the fire was too distant to see. "How big is this place?"

"Genis, this floor is directly underneath the factory. If you recall, there was an inordinate amount of machinery on the upper levels. This large amount of space is probably for maintenance." Raine waved her staff about. "According to the computer, this room should be full of mechanics repairing the damage Gaar caused. I wonder where they are… Something isn't right here…"

Genis snorted. "Well, at least Gaar's attack cost them something."

"Yes," Colette nodded. "Hopefully, no more people have died since because of the damage." She turned to Gaar. "Gaar, it's all thanks to you." Gaar blushed and scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"I… uh…"

"Yes, it was all thanks to that pathetic _maggot_." Everyone jumped and quickly turned around. There, standing behind them just outside of the light cast by Raine's staff, was Kvar. "Thanks to you, I've had to repair every piece of equipment in the entire facility." Gaar was trembling as he glared. Genis and Raine were completely still while glaring. Colette's fingers were fidgeting with her Chakrams as she glared.

"Kvar." Gaar spat the name at the owner. He moved to take his bow from his shoulder.

"Yes," the Grand Cardinal hissed. He turned to his right and shouted, "Activate the lights in sub-level 1." The dark room exploded in light. Overhead, enormous light fixtures that appeared to be the size of a hundred year old Spruce tree came to life. They rained light down onto the two elves, the angel, and the human. Surrounding them were tens of Bowmen, Evil Sorcerers, and Spearmen. "I _knew_ you would be returning. It was predictable to say the least." Genis growled. "_This_ time around, I came prepared for you." Kvar pointed at Gaar.

"Ahhh…" Gaar fell to the ground, clutching his head. His forearms bulged as he clamped his fingers around his skull. His bow clattered to the ground, the previously readied arrow rolled away.

"Gaar!" Genis and Colette ran to Gaar's side.

"Hah, pathetic _maggot_. Did you really believe that you could defeat _me_?" Kvar laughed. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Stop it!" Colette shouted, "Leave him alone!" She threw her Chakrams at Kvar and watched them fly straight through his body, leaving no scar or any other mark. "I don't get it, I hit him…"

"It's a holographic image, Colette, Kvar isn't really here. It is like the map on the computer" Colette jumped forward a bit as she retrieved her Chakrams from the air.

"I see some of you are smarter than the rest." Kvar sneered at the four. "No matter. Men, proceed." The image of Kvar vanished and the Desians surrounding the group started to close in.

"What are we gonna do?" Genis looked all around quickly. "We are surrounded!"

"We are going to do… what we came here to do. We must find the switches and deactivate the Guard System." Raine started chanting a spell. Colette's angel wings sprouted from her back and she started chanting, while Genis stood above Gaar and watched the Desians close in.

"Fire!"

"Now!"

The air around the four exploded into hundreds of whistling arrows and dozens of sailing spears. Genis' eyes widened and ducked as three arrows flew over his head. One landed right in front of his face and lodged itself into the flooring. He looked perturbed by the arrow for a few seconds, before another volley of missiles started their flight. The air was thick with arrows and spears. Raine and Colette had canceled their spells so that they could dodge the arrows and spears as best they could. Raine though had to speedily cast First Aid every few seconds as arrows and spears nicked and cut. But the three were able to dodge most of the arrows and spears thrown at them.

Gaar was on the floor, still clutching his head in a death grip. His body writhed in pain. His mouth screamed silent screams of extreme pain.

Genis ran in front of Gaar and shouted, "Force Field!" Nearly two hundred arrows and just as many spears pinged off of the shield in the few seconds that it as surrounding Genis and Gaar. Genis hit the ground as more volleys were flying overhead.

"G-… Ge-… Genis," Gaar rasped. His eyes were screwed tightly shut, his face was red, and his teeth were clenched. Genis leaned in close as far as he could, trying to avoid a set of arrows that decided to lodge themselves in the ground next to his head.

"Y-yeah Gaar?" Gaar's clenched teeth ground themselves back and forth as he growled. Genis began to back away in fear, but stopped when Gaar opened his mouth but no sound came out.

"G-… Genis! Grab my hand… T-… Take… AHHHH!" Gaar clenched his eyes shut tighter and his hands turned to fists. He writhed in pain as a million suns were born and went supernova, galaxies collided, infinity was crammed into his finite skull. Genis winced as several arrows lodged themselves in the floor behind him, some grazed skin getting there. But he grabbed one of Gaar's tightly clenched and nail gouged fists.

Raine landed from a backward leap and looked around quickly. She gasped as she saw tens of arrows and a few spears hit Genis' body. The next thing she knew she was on her back, blown over by a tremendous force. Colette, who had been flying over the heads of the Desians and distracting the Evil Sorcerers, was on the ground. All the Desians were on the ground. Some with arrow wounds from friendly fire, others with spear wounds.

Raine struggled to stand up, and when she did, she gasped again. "G-Genis?"

Genis was breathing heavily. He was standing, his left hand clasped tightly around Gaar's fist. His eyes were glowing bright white and blue. Around him and Gaar were scattered the arrows and spears that had hit him, having been repelled. The Desians all stood up and stared, everyone stared.

"Professor… Why is Genis glowing…?" Colette flew over to stand next to Raine. Nobody moved.

"I thought the boy's magic was canceled out," said one of the Desians. "What happened to the inhibitors?"

"It isn't the boy's magic, it is that elves!" shouted another.

"Look out, he's moving." All the Desians readied their weapons and began attacking again. But they never got the chance to loose one arrow, throw one spear, or cast one spell.

"COMPLETE INDIGNANT JUDGMENT!" Genis' voice carried through the entire chamber as if his voice were part of the very air. The lights dimmed as static electricity began building up in the air. The entire floor was covered in blue runes, lines, and circles. The static electricity in the air became flames of electricity. In nanoseconds, the entire room was filled with the electrical discharges of the spell. All of the Desians died in less time than it took for the electricity to burn away their dead corpses. As the spell wore down, the light covering the ceiling sputtered and began going out, a few began to fall and crash into the ground.

"Professor…?" Colette nervously looked around and jumped when a light crashed to the ground just three feet from her. "I don't think it is safe here."

Raine nodded. "I agree, we'll sort this out later. Genis, bring Gaar." Genis, who had fallen to the floor when he cast the spell, looked up. Raine looked at him and then craned her head upwards.

The sound of the impact registered in Raine's mind after the image. She couldn't move. She couldn't breath. She couldn't think. She couldn't blink. The sight of the light fixture crashing into Genis' outstretched hands burned to the back of her retinas. Colette stood with her hands over her mouth. She fell to her knees was breathing in large ragged breathes. But Colette didn't register in Raine's mind. The only thought going through her mind was, 'He's gone.'

* * *

...I'm so eeeeeeeeeevil, I'm so EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVIL!

**Inri**: "We know that... oooh, but I do so love the cliffhanger."

And what a cliffhanger... Please review to save Genis!


	13. Divergent Paths

Where could Pit be...

**Inri**: "I have no idea." _Looks around innocently._

Ok, what really happened, did you make all that up about Pit going to war with Sierra?

**Inri**: _With shifty eyes_ "I... I have no idea what you're talking about."

Inri?!

**Inri**: L_aughs nervously._ "Uh... On with the story!"

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia!" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

In the dim light of sub-level one, the image of Kvar re-appeared. It was fuzzier than before, but it remained nonetheless. 

"I see some of you survived." Kvar's image waved it off nonchalantly. "No matter. Now I must deal with the rest of your little band of miscreants." Kvar's image blinked out of existence. Raine was still standing, staring at the light fixture that had taken meaning from her. Colette, blood splattered on her face, stood up.

"Professor, we have to go!" Raine didn't move or respond. "Professor, if we don't hurry, Lloyd will die." Raine slowly turned her head and looked at Colette. Colette's face was dirty and wet from blood, both hers and others, and her hands were shaking, but Colette still had enough control to tug on her teacher's sleeves. "Please Professor, we must go!"

"I… I can't Colette. It isn't worth saving anymore. The world isn't worth…" Raine sobbed, tears finally leaving their marks on her cheeks. "How can I help save a world that doesn't have him in it…" Raine dropped to her knees and continued to stare at the pile of electronic equipment and rubble where Genis and Gaar had once been.

"No Professo-"

"Don't Call Me That!" Raine's outburst made Colette jump a few feet away from the distraught woman. Colette shivered at the loss in Raine's eyes. "I am not fit to be your teacher, Colette." Raine turned back to Genis' grave and mumbled, "I'm not capable of teaching anyone."

Colette clenched her fists and set her face. She walked up to Raine and slapped her as hard as she could. Raine looked up at Colette surprised as she flew through the air. A large red handprint formed on Raine's cheek as she skidded to a stop a few feet from where she had been. "Professor, snap out of it! Genis wouldn't have wanted you to be this way. Right now we have to save Lloyd and the others from the Desians. Don't forget that Lloyd trusted us to clear the way for him. We must carry on for Genis and Gaar too, just as we fight for those people who died for the Exspheres." Raine stared silently, tears of a torrentially ripped heart falling from her face.

Raine stood up and started walking, slowly at first, but then faster. "Colette," she stopped and turned to look at the girl. "Thank you." Colette nodded and the two ran to the other side of the room and into the left most hallway on the other side.

* * *

"What could be taking them so long?" Lloyd walked back and forth impatiently in front of the deactivated warp panel. 

"You must learn to be more patient." Lloyd turned and Kratos snorted at the boy's outrage.

"Hey guys, I think I hear something." The entire room fell silent as Sheena leaned closer to the only door in the room. "Corrine!" A small explosion went off in front of Sheena and Corrine appeared from the smoke. "Corrine, go scout out the factory."

"I'm on it," he squeaked as he ran out the door.

"I hope nothing bad has happened to the others." Lloyd looked back at the warp pad. "It still isn't activated. Something must have happened. We have to go after them."

"Lloyd, stop!" Lloyd stopped half way across the small room and looked at Kratos. "They will do their jobs, we must do ours. I'm sure they are fine. Besides, there are four of them and only three of us. We'd be more likely to get into trouble than they would."

Lloyd sighed and slumped his shoulders. "Yeah, you're right. Man, all this waiting is getting annoying."

Corrine sped back into the room and skidded to a stop. "Sheena. The entire factory is on fire. It seemed like some sort of electrical surcharge caused the equipment to overload and explode. Also, there is a patrol coming this way. Be careful." Corrine slowly dematerialized.

"Thanks Corrine." Sheena turned to the two swordsmen. "Looks like company is on the way." She pulled her cards out and turned toward the doorway just in time to see two Whip Masters and a Spearman walk in. They weren't expecting company because they froze when they noticed the intruders.

"It's them," shouted the Spearman, "the intruders."

Lloyd leaped at the three Desians, engaging the closest Whip Master, Sheena went after the other Whip Master, and Kratos launched himself at the Spearman.

The Whip Master snapped his whip at Lloyd almost constantly, and like a block head, Lloyd took the hits. But the benefit was that it enabled Lloyd to get up real close to the Desian and start slashing him across the abdomen. After four swipes Lloyd shouted, "Demon Fang!" and sliced his sword directly in front of the Whip Master. But the wind force from the swing was tremendous enough to cause the same effect as an actual hit. Then Lloyd leaned down and stabbed the Whip Master with one sword and shouted, "Sonic Sword Rain!" He ended his stabbing with an almighty thrust that sent the Desian stumbling backwards before he fell to the ground with several gaping wounds with blood gushing out of them as well as many cuts.

"Super Sonic Thrust!" Lloyd looked over to see Kratos pulling his now red sword from the dead Spearman's chest. He wiped the blood off on the body before it fell to the floor. Walking over to stand in front of the warp pad, he stood with his arms crossed.

Sheena got done slapping on several cards onto the last Whip Master and landed in front of the Desian. Then she shouted, "Pyre Seal!" and all the cards exploded sending the Whip Master flying back into the wall. He slid to the floor unconscious, his nose bleeding.

Lloyd was rubbing his side tenderly. "I kinda feel sorry for that guy. I know he's a Desian and all, but that attack is painful."

"Heh." Sheena put away her cards and turned to Lloyd. "Better not get on my bad side then." Lloyd paled a little before he turned and started pacing again.

"Man, when will that warp activate. This is so boring!"

"Ahem!" Lloyd turned to Kratos who was standing in front of the warp pad, his arms crossed, and his right foot tapping impatiently. "If you are done complaining, I suggest we move on to Kvar's room." Behind Kratos, the circular warp pad was sparkling as the outside rings of the pad turned around in clock-like precision.

"Oh, heh heh, I guess we should get going them." Kratos stepped onto the pad and phased out of existence, followed closely by Sheena. Lloyd stopped before stepping onto the pad and took a deep breath. "Here we go." Lloyd stepped onto the pad and disappeared. He reappeared behind Kratos and Sheena inside of a large room filled to the brim with computers. There were millions of lines of information scrolling over every one of the screens. "Wow, the Professor would go nuts in here…"

"Lloyd, pay attention to the situation at hand." Kratos pointed across the room. "There is Kvar."

"Right, let's go!" Lloyd took off around the center console, which took up a good amount of space in the large room. Kratos and Sheena were right behind him. "I've found you Kvar!" Lloyd said as they came to a stop in front of the Grand Cardinal, who was facing and talking with an image of a woman. The woman and Kvar both turned and looked at the three intruders.

"So… This is Lloyd. I see, he does bear a resemblance." Lloyd looked quizzically at the image.

"So," Kvar hissed, "you've come." He turned back to the image and continued, "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't change the subject Pronyma!" The image of Pronyma turned back to face Kvar, contempt clearly translated over the communication line. "It's clear you've been stealing research data from _my_ Angelus Project."

Pronyma sighed. "I grow tired of your accusations, Kvar. As I have told you, I know _nothing_ of it."

"Stubborn woman," Kvar grumbled. "I supposed I should expect no less from the one who usurped the leadership of the Five Grand Cardinals." Then Kvar's voice dropped conspiratorially. "Take heed, Pronyma. Once I retrieve the Exsphere from this inferior being, _I_ will become the leader of the Five Grand Cardinals. When that happens, you'll be _begging_ for my forgiveness."

Pronyma huffed and looked like she would pat Kvar on the head as one would a little boy with a large imagination. Instead, she said, "You speak nonsense, Kvar. I've also heard that Rodyle has talked you into joining him in one of his schemes."

The warp pad began to hum and then a sad Colette and a stony Raine appeared. Raine looked around the room and then let her gaze drift off into the distance. Colette looked around the room and, spotting Lloyd, grabbed Raine's hand. Colette dragged Raine behind her around the center console. She stopped though when she ran into something and fell down.

"Professor, what is this." Colette stood up and poked the invisible wall, it made ripples in its thin surface of rainbow energy.

Raine sighed. "I don't know Colette. It's probably a barrier to prevent Lloyd from escaping." Raine turned to the console to her right and tapped a few buttons, but nothing happened. "There isn't anything we can do but watch."

Colette gasped slightly and turned to Raine. "But that means Lloyd and the others can't escape." Raine crossed her arms and sighed again, but didn't answer her companion's musings.

Pronyma crossed her arms and contemptuously stared at Kvar. "But it would be best not to believe that you can deceive Lord Yggdrasill for long." The woman's image vanished, emphasizing the threat.

Kvar shrugged as he turned to Lloyd. "So the Mana Cannon is no longer a secret. Well, it doesn't matter." Kvar pulled out his staff, the bladed ring on top made sound pleasant to the ear when swung. "Once I succeed in retrieving that Exsphere, any suspicions I might have been under will be but a distant memory."

Kratos shifted his balance and drew his sword. "Get ready."

Lloyd tore his swords out, shouting at Kvar, "You're not gonna take this from me!"

Lloyd and Kratos ran up to Kvar and started slashing him. Sheena though had noticed the two Energy Stones that floated down from the ceiling and went after the one closest to the two swordsmen.

"Professor, you have to do something! We have to help them!" Raine looked down at the pleading blond and shook her head again. "Professor, please! Lloyd isn't just my friend, he was Genis' too. Lloyd is like a brother to both of us. Professor, please!"

Raine shook her head and watched the red clad boy shout "Demon Fang" and then jump back as Kvar shouted "Lightning Thrust", sending a lightning bolt screaming down where Lloyd had been. Kratos was now fighting off an Energy Stone while trying to get to Sheena. Sheena was still fighting the same Energy Stone, but was sporting some major cuts and bruises. Tears formed in the corners of Raine's eyes as she watched. Shaking her head briskly, she turned and quickly went to work at the computer console. "It… It's what Genis would've wanted." Colette smiled happily before she turned back to watch the battle once again.

Kratos had finally defeated the Energy Stone he was facing off against. After mumbling to himself and gathering a green Mana within himself, Kratos turned to Sheena and said, "Don't over do it." Then the green Mana flew from his body and slammed into Sheena as he shouted, "First Aid!"

Sheena, who looked on her last leg, nodded to Kratos and jumped back at the Energy Stone and slapped on cards faster than she could shout, "Power Seal! Life Seal! Pyre Seal!" When she was done slapping on the last of her cards she jumped back and watched the Energy Stone glow red and then explode. The explosion sent several pieces careening toward Colette. She jumped when they hit the barrier. Sheena sighed and ate an Apple Gel. A few of her juicier bruises disappeared and some cuts stopped bleeding.

"Professor, how much longer?" Colette anxiously writhed her hands together. She watched Lloyd and Kratos attempting to land a hit on the slick Grand Cardinal, with no luck.

"I'm working as fast as I can, but the controls on this side are locked." A drop of sweat rolled down the side of Raine's face. She grimaced when its salty essence pasted itself to the corner of her mouth.

"Please hurry Professor." Colette shook her clenched hands up and down. Raine shook her head and continued her mad typing.

"You will not survive this, pathetic boy!" Kvar jumped to the side Lloyd's swings, hopped over them, ducked under them. None of Lloyd's swings were hitting. "You are going to die, just like that pathetic piece of trash that brought you into this world."

Lloyd's eyes flashed as he clenched his teeth. "Ahhhh!" Lloyd's Exsphere flashed as he swung his sword faster and harder than before. Kvar was now being pushed back under an intense onslaught of steel. "Don't you _EVER_ talk about my mom that way!" Lloyd was about to lunge, stabbing his sword into the Desian's chest, but Kratos grabbed Lloyd's white ribbons and yanked hard. Lloyd fell to the floor just as Kvar's bladed staff came down where his neck was going to be.

"Lloyd, don't let him get to you!" Kratos pushed past Lloyd. He swung his blade down on the staff and knocked it away.

Kvar laughed maliciously as he sidestepped almost all of Kratos' attacks. "Ha, you think you can hit me! You humans are- Ugh!" Small red puddles of blood appeared on the floor. The crimson liquid flowed freely from the large gash in Kvar's right arm. Kratos smirked and Kvar glared.

"Us humans," said Kratos, finishing Kvar's sentence, "are more than capable of defeating a vile, sniveling, snot-nosed abomination as evil as you." Kvar growled and lunged at Kratos. Kratos side stepped and parried, moving gracefully to and fro, dancing around Kvar like a calm breeze through the howling inside of a hellishly savage twister. His feet rolled back and forth, hopped, skipped, and spun. "One who has no respect for the sanctity of life does not deserve to experience that life." Kratos came out of a back flip and sprung forward and past Kvar, slashing him across the abdomen.

"Ugh!" Kvar backed away from Kratos. He stopped when he bumped into someone.

"This is for the people of Luin. Hah!" Sheena kicked as hard as she could. Kvar suddenly found it hard to breathe as he cradled not only his cut abdomen, but his now bashed in male parts as well. Sheena slapped cards onto Kvar's back and shouted, "Pyre Seal!" Kvar flew away from Sheena as her spell card exploded. He landed in a heap and skidded to a stop. He slowly stood up and glared as best he could through one eye back at the mercenary and ninja. Blood seeped from his swollen left eye and down across the hardened crust of black flesh.

"You think I will be defeated by such weak attacks?" Kvar laughed. "You humans really are pathetic!"

"Kvar!" Kvar's bloodied body stiffened. He slowly turned around until he was staring through his one good eye into the two good eyes of Lloyd. "You disgust me! Hah!" He slashed his sword across Kvar's chest once, cutting deep enough to split bones. "That was for all the people you've tortured and killed. Hah!" Lloyd cut horizontally again. The cut split more bone and spilt more blood. Kvar staggered backwards, but still stood. "That was for all the people you've turned into Exspheres. Hah!" Lloyd crossed his twin blades like a pair of scissors and then swung them outward. The X shaped slash created on Kvar's chest sliced through flesh and ripped through bones with a sickening crunch. Kvar fell backwards into a heap on the ground with a thud. His whole body shook wildly as a pool of blood spread out beneath him. His eyes twitched and darted back and forth, not focusing on one thing, but looking at every thing. "And that," Lloyd finished, "was for my mom. Goodbye Kvar."

Colette pounded on the invisible barrier. "Professor, they did it, they did it."

"Yes, I can see that Colette." Raine was still typing madly on the computer. "Watch out Colette."

"Huh?" Colette fell forward as the barrier disappeared. "Wah!" Colette quickly jumped up and said, "I'm ok!" She and Raine moved to stand near the three others.

"I did it." Lloyd was staring down at the jewel on his right hand. "Mom… You've been avenged!" Colette was about to hug Lloyd. Her smile was wide and genuinely affectionate.

"Lloyd, I'm so glad you're o-Lloyd! Look out!" Kratos whirled about, drawing his sword. Colette grabbed Lloyd's shoulders and spun around. The bladed ring on the end of the staff slammed into and cut through the thin material protecting Colette's shoulder. The blade sliced from her shoulder down and across her back. Colette slumped forward limply into Lloyd's arms.

"Colette!" Lloyd held onto Colette until she had slumped to the floor.

"Lloyd," she mumbled, "are… are you ok?"

"Yeah. But you're…" A single tear slid down Lloyd's cheek.

"I'm fine, really." Colette sat up, without help from Lloyd.

Lloyd spun around and faced Kvar. His eyes burned in rage. His chest heaved to a murderous tempo. His fingers turned white inside of his creaking strained leather gloves as he gripped his swords and pulled them from their sheathes with such ferocity that they flew from his waist. "You… You _BASTARD_!" If Lloyd's outrage could be compared to anything, it could only be compared to the calmness of a Category 5 Hurricane and the peacefulness of an earthquake with a measure of 10 on the Richter scale.

Kvar was limping away, but Sheena appeared in an explosion of smoke. She threw her hand and punched the Grand Cardinal in the face. He lurched backwards, but stayed upright. Kvar swung around and was immediately stabbed in the chest. The blade went straight through and out his back. Another blade joined the first as Kratos plunged his sword through the other side of Kvar's chest cavity. Red bubbled out around the blades as blood started to fill Kvar's lungs.

"Kratos…" Kvar rasped. Dark crimson sputtered from his shivering lips. Those lips twisted into a cruel grimace of disgust. "You… Pathetic… Inferior being!"

Kratos growled as he brutally wrenched his sword out of Kvar's chest. "Feel the pain…" Kratos' voice wavered as he slashed Kvar's chest. "…of those inferior beings, as you burn in hell!" Kvar received another brutal slash to the torso and then another. Kvar fell to the ground with a wet, squelchy splat, dead.

"Colette! That wound…" Raine quickly walked over and inspected the rather large gash that wasn't bleeding as much as it should have been. She bent down and held her staff over the wound. It began glowing green as Raine whispered, "I won't lose you too, got it." Colette nodded solemnly. She looked around but the other three of the group were standing around the dead Kvar. Colette sighed sadly.

Lloyd turned around and saw Raine healing Colette. "Colette! Your wound…"

The glow around Raine's staff dissipated and Colette stood up. "Thanks for worrying about me, but I'm really okay. For some reason, it didn't hurt. Hehe, strange, huh?"

Sheena shook her head. "You are certainly not okay! Raine, you can use healing arts, Right?"

"I've done my part." Raine walked over the computer station beside the image emitter that Pronyma was projected from earlier. She started typing away. Sheena balked at Raine.

Lloyd looked at Colette and said, "Colette. I can't keep it a secret any longer! Everyone, listen to what I have to say! Colette can no longer feel anything." He got strange stares from Sheena. "She is getting closer to becoming an angel. Now, she can't sleep or feel hot or cold or pain or anything. She can't even cry! Becoming an angel means losing her humanity!

Colette put a hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "Lloyd, it's okay. I'm okay, so… Right now, we need to do something about this ranch. Right, Lloyd?"

Lloyd nodded and turned to Raine, who was still typing away at the computer. "Professor, what do you think we shou-"

"I've already set the self destruct." Raine continued typing. "Before we came to this level, Colette and I set free the prisoners. I will attempt to activate the teleportation field and transport us to just outside of the ranch." Raine continued to type.

"That's kind of extreme… but I supposed it is the best idea." Sheena looked around the group. "Hey, where's Genis and Gaar?" Colette looked down at the ground. Raine continued to type and didn't answer.

"Professor, where is Ge-"

A loud siren went off and a mechanical, feminine voice started speaking from speakers embedded in the walls. "Warning! Ranch will self-destruct in five seconds."

Lloyd looked around quickly and then turned back to Raine. "Professor?"

"Teleportation field activated." Raine hit one more key on the keyboard and the five of them disappeared from the room.

A man appeared on the projector. He looked down at the mutilated corpse of Kvar and laughed. "Lord Kvar, thanks to you, the Mana Cannon will soon be-" And the ranch exploded.

Lloyd, Colette, Kratos, Sheena, and Raine rematerialized on the road that was between the destroyed Luin and the Ranch. Lloyd looked around, surprised.

"Wha…" Lloyd turned to Raine. "What about Genis and Gaar?" Lloyd waved his hands about angrily.

"They..." Lloyd turned to Colette as she quietly murmured, "didn't make it."

"BOOM!" Lloyd spun around to see the ranch go up in a giant fireball. The fire reached miles into the sky and the smoky cloud could be seen as far away as Izoold.

"No… Genis…" Lloyd fell limply to the ground, his face pale; no words came from the stunned boy for a long while, but then, finally, he shouted, "Geniiiiiis!". Raine stood as still as stone, her face was etched stone, but her eyes wavered and bitter tears of anguish rolled down her cheeks. Colette held onto Sheena, who was crying on her shoulder.

Kratos, the unmovable mercenary of stone, watched the fireworks, his eyes reflected the orange and whites of the explosions. A single tear suddenly slid down his face as he recited, "Though we part on divergent pathways, our hearts will remain together."

* * *

And so ends this chapter of Dark Tidings. Tell me, what do you readers think? I only get reviews from two people, and none of them even reviewed my last chapter. I feels sad now... 

**Pit**: "I think you should be concentrating on finding the driver of that truck, my head feels like it was split in half."

Pit? Where did you come from, you've been missing for over a week. What happened to your war with Sierra?

**Pit**: "Inri beat me unconscious, violently, when I blew up the plot... Then she stuffed me in a bag and threw me and the bag into a closet. I'm hungry, can I eat this?" _Holds up Apple._

Sure... Inri?

**Inri**: _Innocently_ "Yes?"

We'll talk about this brother stuffed in closet thing later. Ok.

**Inri**: "I have no idea what you are talking about..."

I'm sure you don't. Anyway, here is a preview of the beginning of the next chapter.

* * *

!!!!!!!!!!PREVIEW!!!!!!!!!!

"Genis!" Genis mumbled. "Genis! Wake up!" Genis mumbled again, but groggily sat up.

"Gaar?" Genis looked around at his surrounding. "Where? …"

"I'm not sure, but look…" Gaar pointed at a large stone building in the distance. People were walking in and out of a large stone arch in the wall surrounding the building. "There's people over there, perhaps they can tell us."

Genis nodded and stood up. "Yeah, let's go!" The two took off, the human and the elf, toward the large stone structure.

* * *


	14. Water Seal Affairs

Ahh... Chapter Fourteen... It has been about a month since I last updated this story... longest pause ever. I've been debating how to write this chapter, but I finally came to a easy compromise so now I can get on with it.

**Pit**: "Come on, the suspence is killing me, what happened to Genis and Gaar? They obviously didn't die."

**Inri**: "Well, read on to find out, at least, in the end you'll know he's ok, right?"

**Pit**: "Ahhh... Okay, before this goes on any longer, On with the-"

**Inri**: "Let's not forget to thank our wonderful reviewers!"

**Pit**: _Very quickly._ "Yes, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Now, On with the Story!"

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia!" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

The shallow breeze was cool against his skin. He opened his eyes and squinted as he looked up at tall trees and a mid-day sun. Gaar sat up and looked around. Birds sang in the trees and also through the air when they left their wooden perches and soared into the sky. The scene was completely peaceful, until Gaar's gaze fell upon the unconscious elven boy next to him. Gaar's eyes widened in surprise. He jumped up and quickly moved over to Genis' side. 

"Genis!" Gaar shook the boy but Genis gave no sign he had heard. "Genis! Wake up!" Gaar stood up when Genis still didn't make any kind of reaction. "This isn't good..." Gaar looked around the small forest clearing he found himself in. "What in the world happened? Where are we?" Gaar spun around several times and fell to the ground, holding his head. "I'm dizzy..." The world span around him and it looked like Genis stood up on his head and then walked around with his hair. Gaar shut his eyes and fell backwards holding his head. "Oww..."

"Gaar, are you alright? Did you're headache return?" Gaar opened his eyes and discovered to his relief that Genis wasn't walking on his hair. "Gaar, what happened? The last thing I remember was grabbing your hand."

Gaar shook his head. "I don't know Genis. I remember blacking out when I heard that awful noise in the Ranch. And then I woke up here. Uhm… why did you grab my hand?"

"You told me to!"

"I did?" Genis nodded. "Geez, I don't remember that." Gaar stood up on unsteady legs. "I wonder how we ended up out here."

Genis glanced around and said, "I've been wondering that too. Perhaps Raine and the others pulled us out here because we were out cold." Genis walked around the small clearing. "If they had to do that, then we must be out of Life bottles."  
"Maybe..." Gaar walked over to a tree. "I don't know. Something doesn't feel right about this." Genis looked at Gaar questioningly. "It feels too, I don't know, it almost feels like a dream."

Genis shook his head and crawled up one of the slopes completely surrounding the two boys. "Gaar, I don't feel anything unusual, but the Mana here is very… I don't know, very… dry. Maybe that is what you're…"

"Yeah… that might be it." Gaar looked up at Genis, who was staring over the crest of the slope he had crawled to. "Genis?" Genis didn't move more than letting his mouth drop open. "Genis! What is it? Genis!" Gaar scrambled up the side of the hill and stopped next to Genis. Gaar looked at Genis' face until his right hand slowly raised and pointed at what he was looking at. Gaar slowly turned his head and took in the object that was holding his elven friend's attention so well.

"Wha… What's that? It's huge!" The two boys stared in awe at a building, a castle. It was so tremendously tall, that its tallest spires were shrouded in clouds. Around the castle and the town around it was a wall, a very tall wall that had four grand and enormous arched gates with dark wooden doors. Streaming into and out of one of the gates were crows of people, some with carts, some riding on horses, some riding in wagons drawn by horses. "That thing is enormous. It has to be five times bigger than the Asgard Ranch!"

Genis nodded his agreement and continued to stare. Shaking away his bewilderment, he crawled over the edge of the slope, stood up, and brushed the dust off of his clothes. "I've never heard of someplace this big in Sylvarant." Genis started walking toward the city. "We should find out where we are so we can find our way back to the Asgard region." Gaar scrambled over the hill and jogged to catch up to Genis.

* * *

Approximately Fourteen Days Later…

* * *

Steam filled the otherwise cold, dark, and damp room. The steam billowed out from under the stone roof of the only structure in the water filled chamber. The roof of the cavern bathed in darkness hundreds of feet above. A glowing blue light appeared where once an angel hovered. Soon the steam cleared away to reveal Colette standing in front of a large altar, staring up at the ball of glowing blue Mana. 

"Uh… Professor, what do you think that is?" Colette pointed at the glowing ball. "It appeared there after Remiel ascended back to heaven."

Raine walked up behind Colette and looked up at the sphere of Mana. "I believe that is the Undine, the Summon Spirit of Water." Colette looked back at the floating sphere, awe and wonder filled her eyes. "I remember reading somewhere that Summon Spirits only took human form to please the human eye, but their original forms resided somewhere else."

"That's right." Sheena walked to stand behind them and joined them in staring at the ball of Mana. "I was taught that the Summon Spirits can take on any shape they wish because their bodies on this plane are basically composed of concentrated Mana from the element they represent."

"If that were the case," Raine interjected, "Undine could take the form of a fish, or a bird, or even a rock, as long as it was composed of solidified water Mana."

Colette turned to Sheena and asked, "Are you going to form the pact with Undine now?" Sheena nodded, closed her eyes, swallowed audibly, and stepped into Colette's position as she and Raine moved back and away from the Altar of Water.

Sheena was about to say something but was cut off by a loud hissing. She watched, and felt, Water Mana being pulled into the floating, glowing blue ball until it was as wide as Sheena was tall. Then the sphere contracted in on itself and slowly molded itself into a humanoid shape. When the sphere had stopped shaping and moving, a beautiful woman with light blue hued skin stood, or rather hovered before the group. Her long, elegant, dark blue hair fell behind her frail looking shoulders and blended into her long elaborate blue gown. The hair actually seemed to become part of the gown at the lowest point. Finally, the Summon Spirit looked at Sheena.

"You who possess the right of the pact. I am one who is bound to Mithos. What is your name?"

Lloyd scratched his head. "Huh? Mithos? The hero of the Kharlan War?"

Raine shook her head. "It most very well could be someone else. At the time of the war, four thousand years ago, Mithos was a very common boy's name."

"Wow Professor, how do you know so much?" Raine gave Colette a rather cold and distant look.

"I read a lot of books." Colette's face fell a little from Raine's response.

Sheena closed her eyes and took a few deep breathes, then looked up at the floating Summon Spirit and said, "I am Sheena! I seek a pact with Undine!"

Without hesitating Undine replied, "As things stand now, I cannot."

Sheena reacted as though she had been hit physically. "Wh-why?"

"I am already bound by a pact. I cannot form two pacts at the same time. And there is no longer sufficient Water Mana in the world save for this cavern." Everyone stared at Undine as if she started hopping up and down and clucking like a mongoose. Even Kratos was staring at Undine in surprise.

"Insufficient Mana! Already bound by another pact!" Sheena turned around. "What am I supposed to do now? They never said anything about this at the research institute!"

"This turn of events is indeed troubling. Mana from each spirit should be covering the world evenly. To say that there is no longer sufficient Mana means that something else is taking its place. But what is the question." Kratos crossed his arms and started pacing back and forth across the room. Raine gave Kratos a curious look, but remained silent.

Lloyd turned to look at Kratos and then turned back to Sheena who had her arms folded while she her brow furrowed in deep thought. "Um… I'm not sure what insufficient Mana has to do with anything, but can't you just get her to cancel the old pact? That way, we could at least have the pact out of the way."

Sheena quickly shook her head. "How? We don't even have any idea where this Mithos person is!"

"A Summon Spirit pact requires a vow," said Kratos as he paced. "As long as the pact-maker upholds that vow, the pact remains valid."

"That is correct," Undine said as she floated above the Altar of Water.

Sheena sighed, "I know about that. The Summon Spirit approves the pact-maker's vow and agrees to the pact."

Kratos nodded and continued to pace. "Exactly. Therefore all you need to do is follow Lloyd's advice and request the annulment of the previous pact and form a new one. It's possible the previous pact-maker has broken his vow. Or he may have… already passed away."

"Wow," Lloyd laughed. "That's easier than I thought it would be."

"Not necessarily, if the previous pact-maker is still alive and hasn't broken his vow, then there's nothing we can do about it."

"Oh… Shoot…" Lloyd looked at Sheena. Her determination burned clearly in her eyes.

"Okay, I'll give it a shot." Sheena turned back around to face Undine. "Undine! I am Sheena! I ask that thou annulst they pact with Mithos, and establish a new pact…" and then almost under her breath she added, "with me."

Undine sighed, sadly it seemed. "As I said before, I am unable to form a pact, because there is no longer sufficient Mana. Even without a previous pact I would still be unable to form a new one."

"Dammit!" Lloyd's voiced echoed through out the chamber. "Isn't there anything we can do, we really need your power Undine."

Undine looked at Lloyd. "I am sorry, but there is nothing that can be done, unless you find a source of untainted Mana to form the pact."

"Untainted Mana?"

Undine turned to Kratos. "Yes. Though it is there, the Water Mana now covering the rest of the world is tainted by Water Mana that is not naturally produced. The new Mana has come from another source. If I were to use this Mana to form a pact, then the Water Mana in the rest of the world would become as poisonous acid. It is all I can do to purify the Mana so that it will remain as it is. Therefore, there is insufficient Water Mana to produce a pact."

"It looks like we won't be able to form the pact." Sheena sighed and started to trudge back toward the warp pad, her shoulders slumped.

Colette jumped in front of Sheena. "You can't give up now, there has to be a way, besides, we need Undine to bring us to the Unicorn. Without the Unicorn's Horn, we won't be able to save Pietro or Clara. Please Sheena, don't give up."

"Colette, there isn't any way for us to make the pact right now, you heard what Undine said." Colette turned to Raine. Raine shook her head and followed Sheena toward the warp pad. "We'll just have to find another way to save those unfortunate people." Colette sighed, defeated, and followed Raine and Sheena onto the warp pad. The three women disappeared in a sparkle of lights.

Lloyd sighed and walked up to Undine. "Is there anything that can keep the new Mana from mixing with the old Mana?" Undine looked at Lloyd with a sad expression as she shook her head.

"Lloyd, we're leaving." Lloyd looked back at Kratos and sighed again.

"Sorry Pietro, Clara…" Lloyd turned and trudged back toward the warp pad. Kratos had just disappeared when Undine gasped loudly. Lloyd turned quickly and saw that Undine, previously calm and serene, was now rigid and tense. Lloyd slowly walked toward the altar until he stood where Sheena had before. "Undine…"

"He comes!" Undine held her hands out in front of her and a large blue spell ring appeared on the floor just behind Lloyd. Lloyd turned around and had to shield his eyes from the extremely bright light that shone from the spell circle. The room became eerily silent as the amount of power running through the spell circle grew more intense. Wind exploded into Lloyd's form, buffeting his body and pushing it against the altar. Then the sound came, a first it was low and went unnoticed, but it was violently ramped up into a very loud and annoying tone that caused Lloyd's ears to bleed. Slowly, very slowly, the light faded, the sound died, and the wind bled off. When the light had completely disappeared, Lloyd lowered his arm. He then lost the ability to speak.

Moments later, Kratos reappeared on the warp pad. He took five steps forward, his mouth was half open as he prepared to scold Lloyd, but he stopped and stared. Lloyd suddenly shot a hand to his ear and brought it forward to find his hand coated in red. Wincing, he reached into his pocket and pulled out two balls of a clear red substance. He swallowed these quickly and the blood stopped seeping from his ears.

A few moments after that Sheena appeared on the Warp pad and saw Kratos standing a few feet away. "Kratos, what's the matter. Kratos?" Sheena moved around the side of the mercenary and saw his source of confusion. Lloyd wiped the blood off of the sides of his face with his sleeve.

"Sheena, Kratos, can you help me move them." Lloyd's request jolted the two out of their stupor and into forward motion.

"Hold." Everyone turned to look at Undine. "I believe there is now a way to form a pact. Do you still wish to form a pact Sheena?"

Sheena looked down and then up and said, "I do." Lloyd looked back and forth between the Summon Spirit and Sheena, clearly confused.

Undine nodded. "Before I can allow the formation of a new pact, I must test your worthiness as a pact-maker. Draw your weapons."

* * *

Raine sighed as she paced on the wooden dock. "What could be keeping them?" She stopped walking and started tapping her foot. The wooden "plap" sound coming from under her leather boot-sole clearly conveying annoyance. "It shouldn't take this long to leave a seal." Raine sighed again. 

"Maybe they found a way to make a pact with Undine." Raine gave Colette a sour look. "Or maybe Undine was telling them how to get a new source of Mana."

"Honestly Colette, how do you manage to be so optimistic?"

"Hehe, I just am!" Colette giggled. Raine sighed, but smiled in spite of herself.

"It has been a very long and tiring journey. I'll be happy when all of this is over."

Colette's smile faded slightly and she found the ground interesting. "Yeah," she said. Suddenly Colette's head shot up and she stared at the cave entrance to the cave.

"Colette, what's wrong?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I must be hearing things again." Raine shook her head. "I could have sworn I heard…"

Raine raised an eyebrow. "Heard what?"

Colette smiled and giggled. "Nothing, nothing. It must have been the wind that's all. After all, this has been a long and tiring journey, so my mind must be playing tricks… on me."

"Colette?" Colette looked at Raine innocently. "What did you think that you heard? I know when you're trying to avoid answering one of my questions. You always did the same thing in class when we were in Iselia. Come on, out with it."

Colette sighed nervously, slouched her shoulders in defeat, and shrugged. "I thought I heard Genis' voice coming from the cave." Raine's body visibly stiffened and she turned to face the ocean. "I'm sorry Professor, I shouldn't have said anything. I'm really sorry."

"No Colette," Raine sniffed. Tear drops fell through the planks of wood and made little sploops in the water. "It's alright."

Colette turned her head again and stared at the cave. "But… that's… not possible…" Colette pushed away from the stone wall she had been leaning against and moved up the ramps of inclined stone. She stood on the higher platform and stared at the cave. "I'm sorry Professor, but I have to go." Colette took off toward the glowing rainbow colored ramp that stretched over the boiling hot geyser.

"Colette!" Raine shouted. She turned and wiped the tears from her face. She then ran up the stone incline and followed the blond girl into the cave. Raine stopped just inside of the cave and looked over the side of the ledge. She could hear Colette's quick footsteps, and when her eyes adjusted to the relative darkness, she watched Colette jog toward the tunnel opening that lead to the seal room. Then Colette stopped and gasped. "Colette, what's wrong?" Colette didn't answer though. Instead she her legs started shaking and then she fell to the ground with a hand over her mouth. Raine leaned over the edge to get a better look, but whatever Colette saw, it was out of Raine's range of vision. Colette raised the hand she wasn't using to cover her mouth and waved at whatever it was she was staring at. "Colette! Answer me!" Raine leaned farther over the edge as Colette craned her head up to look at her. Raine saw it in the girl's eyes, eyes of tortured emotion and a tearless face. Raine slowly, begrudgingly turned her head to look back at the tunnel and gasped herself. Standing there in clothes that were not his own, in a body that had grown and was far too old, was Genis looking up at her sheepishly. "Genis?" She whispered disbelievingly, for if she said it any louder, she feared he was dissolve back into the recesses of her mind reserved for unfulfilled dreams and fantasies.

Genis chuckled nervously, but sounded exhausted. "Heh, hi sis, long time no see…" he said in a slightly deeper voice. Raine fainted with an audible sigh, her eyes closed, and she fell from the ledge she was leaning over. "Raine!" Genis shouted in surprise as he sprung forward.

* * *

**Inri**: "So, what do you think?" 

**Pit**: _Slack jawed._ "How did Genis get so... so... OLD? And what about Gaar? What's with that Castle? And, and, where were they in the first place?"

**Inri**: "Well that would ruin the story, and the plot you've blown up that had to be pieced back together. Suffer in your ignorance, Mwaahahahahahaha...ha..."

Inri, you know it isn't nice to taunt your brother, and besides, the readers are in the same situation, your taunting them too...

**Inri**: "Oh... sorry readers:)"

**Pit**: "Hey, what about me?"

**Inri**: "I need not repent for hurting you!" _Stalks off._

**Pit**: _Sniffles._ "I have feelings too..."_ Stalks off._

Ugh... what a family I have created... Please Review! And thanks if you do!


	15. Introducing the Renegades

Thankyou for reading thusfar into this story. I am going to admit, this part of the saga will be ending soon. But Fear not, I will have the second installment up soon after this story finishes. I don't know what I should call it though...

**Inri**: "Maybe the readers could suggest something."

**Pit**: "Yeah, but they don't know much about the plot, heck, Valian doesn't know much about the-" _Inri hit Pit int he head. _"Oww.."

**Inri**: "You know he has the plot worked out several chapters ahead, you were the one who couldn't let go of the file containing it."

**Pit**: _Pouts_

Ok, well let just warn my readers that this chapter contains some rather graphic parts, please if you get squemish, read anyway, mwaaa hahahahahahahaaaaaa!!!!!! On with the Story!

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia!" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

"Lord Yggdrasill, it appears that the boy lives. Our agent within the Chosen's group has heard tales of his survival from a fellow companion of the boy, also thought to have died." Yggdrasill stared evenly at the Angel Commander kneeling in front of him. "It appears that his reported death was false, and that he was in fact teleported to someplace else along with this companion, and then both were sent back to Sylvarant. His companion and a small human girl appeared in the Water Seal Chamber. The boy's companion claims that the boy has appeared in Sylvarant but that he appeared at another location. Our operatives are investigating weather the boy could have been in Tethe'alla during that time they were missing and a scout party lead by Lord Yuan himself is searching for the boy on Sylvarant." 

"Very good," Yggdrasill said, his superior tone oozing over each syllable. "Continue your investigation and report the findings to me immediately. Otherwise, continue to prepare for the arrival of the Chosen and the Revival Ceremony. Please remind Lord Yuan that reviving the goddess takes higher priority over finding that boy. That is all."

"Yes, Milord." The white winged angel bowed even lower and phased out of existence, the whine and high pitched squeal of a teleportation field fading with the Angel Commander.

The computer terminal on the side of the room started beeping loudly and flashing a red light from the holographic emitter. Yggdrasill slowly stood up and floated to hover in front of the holographic emitter. Time crawled by and eventually the beeping stopped and the blinking red light turned to a solid blue. A dark, black cloud billowed into existence in the blue holographic haze. The cloud simmer in itself when suddenly a pair of eyes opened their large lids, clear blue eyes bored into Yggdrasill's face. The irises were cold, calculating, and menacing.

Yggdrasill bowed low on one knee while hovering an inch off of the floor and said reverently, "Master."

"Hahahaha!" bellowed the dark cloud. "You have served me well, Yggdrasill, and for that you will be greatly rewarded in the end. I shall give what you most desire." The base voice coming from the cloud reverberated off of the walls. Its malice stung the air.

"Yes, Master." Yggdrasill monotoned.

"I have a treat for you, I have cursed one who came to this world, and sent him back from whence he came. Back to Sylvarant." The eyes of the cloud squinted, amused.

"But…"

"Eh…" Yggdrasill winced slightly. "Was that a question, Yggdrasill?" The voice enticed the kneeling angel with its poison laced implications.

"Master, how could anyone from Sylvarant get to your world?"

"Eha hahaha," the voice boomed. "Why, he followed the Steward when he returned home. But both were returned, and now I command you to destroy them, both of them. The cursed one raised my ire and I wish him to feel my wrath. The Steward has long been my nemesis. Oh how I rue the day I let him slip through my fingers to safety."

"I do as you will, Master." Yggdrasill bowed lower and the holograph dissipated into nothingness, the computer terminal shutting down with a soft hum. Yggdrasill straightened up and floated back to his throne. "Hmm… so they didn't die after all… very interesting…"

* * *

He bowed his head. The others looked on and waited. The fire crackled and popped as the wood expanded under the heat of its own pyro-exfoliation. Noishe laid off in the distance, curled into a ball, his abdomen rising and falling slowly. Then, Genis gradually raise his head to look into the eyes of his audience. A small girl clung to Genis' arm, her long dirty hair blowing in the shallow breeze flying across the plains of grass that surrounded the Chosen's group. Tethe'alla's glow had been wiped from the face of Sylvarant as it went through its dark phase, throwing the plains into complete darkness, and bringing the brilliance of the stars to bear on Sylvarant. 

Genis sighed and loosened his arm from the child's grip and then he said, "The best way to begin is to tell you the truth about Gaar. He is the reason for all of this, the Desians, the human ranches, all of it! You see, Gaar wasn't just some boy who lost his memory, or anything of the sort. He lied to us! He betrayed me! Gaar is a traitor…"

* * *

The wind was relentless as it howled and whined. Sand flew through the air beating down all that stood up, grinding it down into nothing. A figure slowly pushed his way into the wind as he blindly stumbled this way and that. His right hand covered his face, holding a simple cloth there while his left hand was thrust into the wind. When he stumbled into a rock that jutted out of the sandy dunes that slinked and crawled in the storm, he felt his way around it until he pushed off again into the ravaging winds. His footprints filled in the sand filled in even as he was pulling each foot out of the sand to take another step. 

The figure tripped. He fell forward and slid down the steep incline of a tall sand dune and came to rest in the bottom of a small valley of sand. He slowly stood up, wiping his face and mouth on the way, and looked around. Sighting his objective, he reached out and pulled the half buried cloth out of the sand. He brushed it off as best he could and pressed it back against his face. He took four steps forward and fell over again, unconscious. Sparks of electricity coursed over his body and caused him to twitch profusely. Eventually, the sparks died off and left the body of a boy in the sand, slowly being buried by the raging storm overhead.

Four men appeared from the veritable walls of sands and stood over the boy. One of them pulled back the dark brown, sand blasted hood he wore and pulled up the goggles he wore and looked closer at the boy. Then he covered back up, turned, and looked at the others before he nodded. Each of the men grabbed a leg or an arm and as they lifted him from the ground, they started off into the storm.

The room was dark save for the light streaming in from the hallway outside, and every few seconds a small beep sounded. In the center of the room was a bed on which was a sleeping boy. To his right, sitting on a ledge built into the blue metal walls, was a glass of water, a half full Life Bottle, and a glowing red stone.

"Aaahh!" Gaar screamed as he bolted upright. He was breathing heavy and sweat formed on his forehead. He looked around and his breathing became calmer, his eyes roamed the room in confusion and curiosity.  
"I see you're awake. Good." Gaar turned to look at the source of the voice, there in the doorway, stood a man. Gaar squinted, but the man was shrouded in shadows so he was unidentifiable. "My men found you wandering in the desert. My apologies for the method of capture, but they believed you were a Rogue looking for a way into the base." Gaar just sat in the bed and stared at the man as he walked slowly into the room. As he passed the end of Gaar's bed, the lights inside of the ceiling panels came to life, giving the room a soft white glow and an anti-septic atmosphere.

"Where am I?" The man stopped walking when he was standing next to Gaar's bed. "And I think I remember you… from the Asgard Ranch… Botta, wasn't it. Wait a minute… you, you're a Desian." Gaar's body stiffened. He stared at Botta as he maneuvered himself about in the bed. Botta stared evenly at Gaar when he suddenly shot out from under the thin bed sheet and attempted to run out the door, but he slammed face first into the ground when the bracelet around his left wrist turned a deep red and a buzzer sounded. Gaar reached up and rubbed his face. "Oww…" He slowly turned around and looked at Botta fearfully. Botta hadn't moved. Gaar gradually calmed down again, but glared at Botta the whole time.

Botta sighed, shook his head slowly, and said, "Yes, that's right, I was in the Asgard Ranch, though I'd prefer it if you didn't call me a Desian."

Gaar narrowed his eyes. "You mean you're not a Desian?"

Botta shook his head. "I am part of an organization that opposes the Desians and their masters, Cruxis. We call ourselves the Renegades."

Gaar's face first looked bewildered, then shocked, and then bewildered again. "Bu… but I thought…"

"Many people think that the Desians oppose the angelic beings of Cruxis, but they are all part of the same command structure, the Desians and then the angles, all below their deranged leader, Yggdrasill." Botta crossed his arms and frowned at Gaar, scrutinizing each and every crevice in his face. "I don't recall ever seeing you in Asgard. Do you mind telling me just who the heck you are, how you know where I've been, and also explain why you were carrying this," Botta picked up the red stone, now dull and lightless. "Our scientists have analyzed it and came up with nothing. They cannot figure out what it is or what it does, but it glows in resonance with your mana signature. Quite unnatural, especially since your mana signature is more or less that of an extremely… er… _gifted_ half-elf at the end of his thousand year life span."

Gaar stared at the stone, the beeping from a bracelet on his wrist filling the silence for minutes on end. Finally, Gaar said, "I know you probably won't believe much of this-"

Botta snorted. "I highly doubt that."

Gaar nodded and continued, "I know who you are because I was traveling with Colette and the others."

"You were with the Chosen?"

"Yes, I was traveling with them, that is, before I… well me and Genis went to another planet."

Botta looked at Gaar, folded his arms and nodded, "Continue."

"I don't remember my name, so I took the name Gaar when I was in Iselia. Before the Desian's came and took me to their ranch in the forest." Gaar clenched his fist and narrowed his eyes. "I… don't like Desians…"

"A passion we share." Botta touched a button on the wall and a piece of the wall slid out. He sat down and stared at Gaar expectantly, sternly. "I am curious though, where were you before you ended up in Iselia?"

Gaar looked down at his splayed hands sitting in his lap. "I… I don't remember," he mumbled quietly. "I woke up as I was falling through the sky and I ended up crashing into the hillside near Iselia." Botta nodded his head, humming to himself.

At length, Botta said, "So you were the one that caused the disturbance. What happened when the Desians tried to teleport you? That part of the story never did make any sense."

"Well, I ended up being teleported in the middle of casting some kind of magic spell." Botta raised an eye brow, but said nothing. "According to the Desian working the controls, I was supposed to be sent to the Asgard Ranch for testing. The spell must have done something cause instead of ending up in that ranch I met you in, I fell into the fountain at Luin. It was in the middle of the Desian massacre, I tried to help, but…it didn't do any good. Anyway I ended up with the chosen's group and that is how I saw you, the first time we were at the ranch."

"The first time…?" Botta prompted.

"Yeah, we were cornered by Kvar and his men and I blacked out. I'm not sure how we got out, but everyone ended up back in Luin. Speaking of which, why were you there. If you stand against the Desians, what were you doing in their base?"

Botta jerked as he came out of a thoughtful pose. "Hmm?"

Gaar sighed and said, "Why were you in the Asgard Ranch?"

Botta paused and then hesitantly said, "We were in the ranch because we were looking for a way to find you."

"Me?" Gaar shouted. "What do you mean?"

Botta again hesitated before he said, "You were being experimented on by both Cruxis and the Desians. That is probably why you don't remember anything." Gaar's face went from shocked to horrified.

"Ex…experimented?" Gaar sounded out slowly.

"Yes. We learned of you and attempted to free you. But the mission went awry and your body had to be jettisoned to the planet below." Botta's eyes softened just a bit. "I am sorry."

"I… I don't know what to say." Gaar swayed back and forth and nearly fell backwards to crash into the floor.

"I know that this is shocking." Gaar turned his vacant gaze back to Botta. "But would you please tell me how you ended up in the Triet region, if you were traveling with the chosen's group, then you would be in the Hima region right now.

Gaar nodded slowly. "I'll… I'll try." Gaar swallowed and rubbed his face. "After we escaped from the ranch the first time, we needed a way to get back in, but the security had been beefed up. So we headed to Hima to get and some kind of back door key from the only guy who ever escaped from the place. It turns out he suffers from some kind of Exsphere poisoning, we promised to find a cure in exchange for the key. After that we back tracked, re-infiltrated Kvar's ranch, again, and then…"

"You actually managed to get back in?" The corner of Botta's mouth twitched.

"Yes, there was an escape tunnel hidden by a boulder. The only way to move the boulder was by using the key we got from the man in Hima. Once we were inside, we split into two groups, one to deactivate the guard system protecting Kvar and the other to go after Kvar himself. I was in the deactivation group. We made it to the basement before all hell broke loose. He had set a trap, he knew we were coming. Kvar has some kind of noise maker that… hurt, and that's where I blacked out again until me and Genis woke up in some kind of forest, but this forest wasn't anywhere on Sylvarant."

"Did you say not on Sylvarant?" Botta leaned forward, eyes wide.

"Yes, I found out later, it wasn't even the same planet, it was some place called… ahh I can't remember the name, it was some tongue twisting word, but I just ended up calling it Earth. The natives there all speak with weird accents and some don't even speak the same language. What I thought was even weirder, there were no half elves or elves, none, not a single being aside from spirits and humans. There was Genis of course, but he was it."

Botta nodded his head slowly. Gaar stood up and brushed his plain tan-colored pants off. Gaar looked back up at Botta, and then back down at his pants. "What happened to my clothes?"

"When we found you, your clothes had been nearly completely blasted away by the sand. You were also very near death." Gaar's eyes widened. "It is a good thing we found you when we did."

Gaar looked down at the floor. "Thank you."

"Please, don't mention it. Now, tell me what this Earth was like." Gaar looked back up at Botta and nodded.

"Earth was vastly different from Sylvarant, a lot of the people there live like barnyard animals do here, only a few even had houses, none of the food was clean, the only people who were clean were the ones who lived in castles, and those guys were all… jerks. I'm still of the opinion that there isn't a clean thing in the entire place." Botta grimaced at Gaar's description.

"The way you describe it, Earth sounds quite unpleasant." Gaar nodded profusely at Botta.

"Yeah, it's nothing like Sylvarant. Anyway, after about one week, I got sick, and eventually passed out. I remember having nightmares about some big fight, a whole bunch of screaming, it was horrible." Gaar hugged his bare chest and shivered. "I… I don't remember much about that time… but I think I did something horrible. Especially after…"

"How did you end up here, in the Triet region?" Botta held out the red glowing rock. "And what is this?"

Gaar stared at the rock again. "I'm not sure how to put this, but in my final dream, I was in some kind of tunnel, a tunnel full of lights rushing past us. In the distance was Sylvarant, we were rushing toward it faster and faster. Floating in front of us, that is me, Genis, and some strange girl, was that rock. The rock was glowing much brighter than it is now. The girl was clinging to Genis' leg like they were attached. I think Genis also looked different somehow, but not too much, I couldn't tell. When we looked at each other, we both knew that we had to get that stone. We both started to try to move, but it was as if we were floating, there wasn't any traction at all. That was when we figured out we could use magic to move. We both raced for that stone, and we both grabbed it at the same time. I couldn't understand why, but Genis was kicking me, trying to get me to let go. It grew ever brighter as we kicked and pushed each other. Then I looked at Genis, I mean really looked, and… he looked at me like I was… I… I can't describe it, but I feeling I got was like the one I had, have about Desians. It was almost as if I had killed someone close to him, the way he was looking at me. Then Genis let go of me and smiled, but it was a cruel smile, made my insides twist inside out. I think I can remember making a smile like that before I killed… He cast some kind of spell on me and then I fell out of the light tunnel. The next thing I knew, I was buried in sand. I dug my way out to find myself in a sand storm. I walked and walked, and… well you know the rest."

"I see. I believe you are telling the truth." Gaar looked up at Botta, hopeful. "Although the parts about some place other than Sylvarant do make some sense, the way you describe it does not." Gaar's face fell, disappointed. "Now I would like you to explain how a human can use magic."

"Sir!" A red clad Foot Soldier skidded to a halt in front of Gaar and saluted Botta. "Sir, the Final Seal is about to be broken, Kratos has just arrived with the chosen." Botta swiftly stood up and walked quickly out of the room. As he passed the Foot Soldier he whispered something into his ear and then continued out the door. The Foot Soldier turned to Gaar, who was glaring at the Desian look-a-like, and motioned for him to stand. "Come on kid, stand up." Gaar's bracelet beeped once and Gaar shot into the air.

"Ahh!" He rubbed his wrist and scowled. "This thing shocked me."

"And it will be doing worse if you don't do as you're told, now follow me." The Foot Soldier turned swiftly walked out of the room. Gaar jerked forward as his wrist followed the Renegade at an exact three feet. The Foot Soldier led Gaar through a dizzying array of hallways, through several doors, and ended up in a room with a large purple box in the center. "Argh… now how do I move this again? Man, Lord Botta sure makes these traps tough." Gaar watched the Renegade walk around and around the large purple box as he muttered to himself. He sighed and sat down against the wall next to the door they had just entered. Ahead of him was another door and to his left was a third. "Oh!" the Foot Soldier snapped his fingers. "I remember now, I got to shock those nodes," he pointed at the far wall with three dark blue orbs set a distance from the flooring, "to turn the lock mechanism. Now where did I put that Static Ring?" Gaar watched the guard search himself. Then he felt a tingling at the back of his head and then slumped forward.

Gaar suddenly found himself in a dark room, and then Lloyd appeared before him. He was bleeding, bruised, and broken in many, many places. He gasped once and then Gaar watched horrified as the light left Lloyd's eyes.

Then Colette appeared, quickly taking the place of Lloyd's dead body. She was smiling, staring straight into Gaar's eyes, and covered from head to toe in sticky, thick, gooey crimson blood. Her hair was slick and with the substance and her skin glistened with the shiny substance of life as it slowly dripped from her body and clothes. She brought her left hand to her mouth and stuck three fingers into her mouth. She sucked the blood off of them and giggled with Gaar retched.

"You lose," said a deep, demonic, vibrant, and all together evil voice. Gaar looked at Colette and saw her grinning, but it was the grin of the demon who spoke. "Hahahahaha!" the demon's laugh came from Colette's mouth and her body shook from the tremendous power in that voice. Gaar screamed.

* * *

**Inri**: "OMG! What happened to Lloyd!"

**Pit**: "It appeared to me like colette killed him and then bathed in his blood, but she only did that cause she was possessed by a demon..."

Yes, now I refuse to let my muses give away anymore of the plot.

**Pit** & **Inri**: _Tied up and gagged. _"Mmmmrrmmrrmrmrph!" (Please Review)


	16. The Enemy From Within

Wow, this chapter was my longest yet. It took me a while to write too.

**Inri**: "And about those questions that you readers might have, well," _slyly _"some will be answered..."

**Pit**: "Yeah, like the one about weather gaar is really a traitor-" _Inri slaps a hand over Pit's mouth._

**Inri**: "Shut up, no giving away plot!" _Randomly pulls out a full wheel of Cheese._ "Here, go fetch." _Inri rolls the Cheese wheel down a very, very long hill that over looks a deep, deep canyon._

**Pit**: "Oh yeah baby, Cheese heaven, here I come." _Chases after Cheese wheel with a fork and knife_.

**Inri**: _Snorts_. "Heh, idiot. Sierra was right... cheese always works. Wait till he finds the explosives hidden inside, if he can catch it."

You know those answers that the readers want.

**Inri**: _Chuckles_. "Yeah. Heh heh..."

I saved them for the next chapter, and I gave them to Pit. He wanted to prove he could do something right.

**Inri**: _Blanches and then takes off after Pit._ "Brother, you better hope the cheese doesn't explode on that plot or I'm gonna kill you!"

(Tobiasa, I hope you don't mind me borrowing Sierra.)

On with the story!

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia!" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

Gaar was engulfed in darkness, the demonic Colette having just disappeared. The laughter though didn't leave, it echoed around the darkness like a hunting voice that was just beyond perception. Gaar shook as he sat in the darkness and hugged his knees to his chest. Gradually, Gaar's body shook more and more forcefully he thought his head would snap off. Then he heard a voice in the distance. It wasn't the demonic laughter from before, but was soft, like a mixture of a humming birds wings and a calm breeze. Then the voice got louder and louder, came closer and closer, and eventually it completely surrounded Gaar. He clamped his hands over his ears and shut his eyes until the noise was so great that Gaar screamed. 

"Ahhhh!" Gaar lunged forward. His fist connected solidly with the red clad Foot Soldier's face, producing a small thud, and sent the Renegade flying across the room. The man slammed into the side of the large purple cube in the center of the room. The cube sparked several times and then smoke started leaking out of the corners and cracks. A buzzing sound came from inside of the machine, right behind the large dent in the shape of a Foot Soldier. After that all sound and activity within the cube stopped, the hydraulic motors within the cube whining to a stand still.

Gaar was breathing heavily, his chest heaved with each titanic lungful of air he took in. Gaar made quick glances about the room, searching feverishly for something menacing in the slightest regard. When Gaar saw the Renegade fall from the indented hole in the cube, realization dawned on his face and he stood up. As he brushed himself off, he slowly walked over to stand next to the face down Renegade.

Gaar looked at the human shaped indentation in the cube and then shifted his gaze down to the mumbling Renegade on the floor. "Heh heh, oops…" Gaar scratched the back of his head, a sheepish grin plastered on his face.

The Foot Soldier tried pushing himself up, but only managed to raise his head a few inches off of the ground. He grunted and then mumbled, "Sor… … Sorry I couldn't help you find what you were looking for… ugh… thank you for shopping here, Mr. Elephant… Please, don't mind that crazy Otter outside… ugh…" Then the Foot Soldier slumped laid flat on the ground, out cold. Gaar shook his head, a grin playing at the edges of his mouth.

Gaar's face then turned more serious. "I have to find a way to get to the others. Something bad is going to happen, I can feel it. And I want that stone back, I think Botta has it." Gaar walked around the large purple cube, his head swerved left and right, examining the room, but nothing jumped out at him and so he stopped in the same spot he started in. "Great, now I'm stuck here. I wonder where the final seal is…"

The purple cube made a large snapping noise before it started humming back to life. In a lifeless, monotone voice the cube said, "Final Seal located in Snap Hiss Se-se-Seal LOcaTed in Bzzzrrzzz Location: Tower of Salvation. Brzzz Snap"

"All Right!" Gaar threw his fist into the air, but then it slowly drifted back down. "But then how do I get there. Plus it's so far away, that by time I get there, whatever it is that is going to happen will have already taken place… Dammit." Gaar crossed his arms over his bare chest and shivered. "You'd think they'd give their patients some shirts as well as pants, but noooo…" Gaar glanced down at the knocked out Renegade. "I guess he won't miss his shirt, will he." After pilfering the unconscious Foot Soldier's shirt, Gaar started pacing back and forth and failed to notice the large cube spinning slowly.

"Tele-Buzz SNAP SNAP SNAP -ation –tion –tion Chamber –ber –ber O-o-open. Destination –tion de-de-destination: Tower of Salvation Seal Ro- ro- room. Brzzz-SNAP" Gaar's head snapped up and stared at the cube, but turned to the door at the far end of the room when it slid open with a pressurized hiss.

"Okay, I'm coming guys." Gaar ran toward the door. As he passed the cube it emitted a small explosion and caught on fire. Gaar grimaced and then continued through the door. "I'll have to apologize for that later." Gaar ran down the corridor and stopped in front of another pressurized door. "Okay, this must be it." Gaar walked to the computer interface next to the door and pushed a few of the buttons. On the small screen just above the key pad, the words, Teleportation Chamber Access code denied. Gaar crossed his arms and frowned at the interface. "I'm definitely in the right place, but how do I get in. I wish Professor Raine was here." Gaar was about to kick the door when he looked to his right, confused.

The wall was covered in a paneling that had small round holes everywhere. Gaar walked to the wall and held his hand just above the surface of the paneling.

"There _is_ air coming through the wall… That must mean that there is some kind of vent on the other side. I wonder if can get into the chamber that way." Gaar looked closer at the wall paneling and started feeling it with his hands. "There has to be a way to get the thing off. They've got to have a way to fix this place if it ever breaks." Gaar's finger caught inside one of the holes and instead of stopping halfway through, as in all the rest, his finger went all the way through. "Ah ha! Found it!"

"-ink he went this way." Gaar turned around and saw five Renegades just entering the hallway.

"Uh-oh." Gaar turned back to what he was doing and, gripping the panel tightly, he pulled hard. The three foot by three foot panel groaned and then finally slipped free. Gaar had been putting so much effort into it, that when the panel broke free from the wall, it flew from his fingers and into the wall behind him.

"Hey! There he is! He's breaking into the ventilation system. Get him!" The Renegades bolted toward Gaar. Gaar looked down the hall at the rapidly approaching Foot Soldiers and then without a second to look twice, jump into dark recesses of the vent in front of him. When the five Foot Soldiers all attempted to copy Gaar, all at the same time, they got stuck. "Augh… Awe, dammit! We're stuck!" Five sets of feet were rapidly flying about in a vain attempt to free their captive bodies.

Gaar smirked in the darkness and started to crawl away. He crawled, on his hands and knees for a few minutes until he ran head first into a wall. "Oww…" Gaar rubbed his head and felt around him. "I wish I could see… oh I know! I'll do the fire ball trick." Gaar held his hand in front of his chest and three palm-sized orange balls formed, cradled in his hand. The fire that swirled around the insides of the spheres illuminated the air duct enough for Gaar to see that he hadn't run into a dead end, but rather a corner. So Gaar continued down the left until he saw light coming from ahead. Canceling the fireballs, Gaar slowly approached the vent until he was able to see a person facing away on the other side.

"Twenty minutes, Lord Botta," said the person on the other side of the vent.

"Okay," Gaar heard Botta say, "every one of you knows what to do. You are to apprehend the chosen if and only if she has already finished the regeneration process and completely become an angel. Otherwise she is to be terminated. Is that clear." Gaar leaned against the vent and squinted his eyes as he looked through into the white room on the other side. The man standing next to the vent was manning the controls to the teleportation device. Botta and several Foot Soldiers stood in the center of a large round platform.

"Sir, there appears to be a commotion outside the chamber entrance." A screen somewhere out of Gaar's limited range of vision came to life. "It… it looks like all five of them tried to crawl into the vent at the same time, sir." And then Gaar heard the technician behind the controls mutter, "What a bunch of morons," under his breath.

Botta sighed. "You three, go help them out of that mess, there is still time before the superconductor coils are warmed up. Would the other two of you just stand guard and make sure no one enters this chamber."

"Yes Sir!" replied the Foot Soldiers in unison. Gaar watched the Renegades leave the round platform and run to the door.

"Sir?" Botta looked at the technician as he continued. "The coils are already warmed up."

"I realize that, but those men were chosen for this mission specifically for their overzealousness. They wouldn't help those idiots if it wasn't mission critical." Gaar looked around the vent from his side. He saw that it was starting to dislodge under his weight. Gaar carefully leaned back attempting to alleviate the weight on the vent, but the further he leaned, the more it fell through. Botta sighed again and said, "Do you have the return coordinates set."

"Uh… Yes, I do, but would you mind looking over them. I had to improvise them and I'd like a second opinion." Gaar was attempting to balance himself on the wavering vent as it slipped more and more away from the opening. Botta walked around to stand next to the technician and looked at the control setup on the console.

"It looks fine to me, don't worry so much…" Botta slowly raised his head and then cocked it to the side. "Do you hear something?"

At that moment, the vent groaned and fell forward, Gaar attached to the back of it. The vent fell on top of Botta and the technician and sent them flying forward. The technician's head slammed into the keyboard and several key's went shooting off. The speakers in the room suddenly blared, "Teleportation field activated! Teleportation will take place in twenty seconds."

Gaar stood up and dusted himself off.

"19!"

Gaar looked around and saw Botta and the technician leaning against the consol in front of him, out cold.

"18!"

Making his way carefully over to Botta, Gaar reached into his pocket and felt around. He pulled out the now glowing red stone. "I'll be taking that back."

"17!"

Gaar moved to the stair way and down the steps.

"16!"

He moved around the outer walkway until he stood at the end of the small bridge between the round plat form Botta and his men were standing on and the door to the outside.

"15!"

"14!"

The door opened with a clink and then a hiss. Gaar turned around as the combined groups of Foot Soldiers poured into the room.

"13!"

"Halt! Don't move, or you're brain will paint the wall." The Renegades closest to Gaar pointed their arm length weapons at Gaar's head.

"12!"

Two of the Foot Soldiers attempted to get closer to Gaar, but he held up his hand and conjured a fire ball. The Foot Soldiers stopped dead in their tracks.

"11!"

The two sides stared each other down. Sweat poured down Gaar's head as he looked from one Renegade to another, eying each one.

"10!"

"Give up kid. We ain't gonna back down, the only one who is going to lose here, is you!" The Foot Soldiers with the weapons pointed at Gaar's head inched closer. Gaar swung his arm from Foot Soldier to Foot Soldier, slowly backing up onto the round platform.

"9!"

"8!"

"7!"

"6!"

"5 seconds until teleportation activation!"

Gaar shook his head violently and sent beads of sweat flying off. "I have to help my friends. I won't let any of you stop me, got it!" The stone in Gaar's hand glowed even brighter.

"4 seconds!"

"Kid, we don't give a rat's ass about your friends, and there ain't nothing you can do to stop us." The weapon wielding Renegades spread out to surround the circular plat form, taking positions on the outer walkway. The Foot Soldier who had done all the talking thus far, as well as the two who had attempted to grab Gaar had moved onto the bridge. Gaar meanwhile had made it onto the platform.

"3 seconds! Targeting Systems activated! Destination: Seal Chamber, Tower of Salvation."

A groan came from the control panel and Botta slowly pushed himself up. His eyes went wide when he saw Gaar surrounded by his men. Then he looked down and his mouth fell open.

"You fools, get him out of there, now! He's about to be sent to the-

"2 seconds! Sealing Teleportation Field Platform!" The lead Renegade on the bridge suddenly bumped into the force field around the platform and fell backwards into the two men behind him. Gaar looked up at Botta.

"1 second! Activating Teleportation Systems."

"Sorry, but this is something I have to do. Oh yeah, I'm the one who broke the purple cu-" Gaar stopped mid sentence. At first nothing happened, but then his hair started to fly of in microscopic pieces, followed by his head, body and on down to his feet, until there was nothing left of Gaar in the room.

"Teleportation Complete! Have a nice day!"

"Damn!" Botta slammed his fist into the powering-down console and created a depression in the shape of his hand.

* * *

The stars swirled about Gaar as he reappeared. He looked down at his hands and watched them appeared seemingly out of thin air. When Gaar was fully flesh and blood once more, he looked up and saw a large room with two sets of stair on either side of him leading up to a higher platform. Gaar looked around and then up. 

"Huh… no one's here. I wonder if they teleported me to the wrong place…" Gaar walked over to the side of the room and knocked a fist against one of the columns on the side of the room. "I'm here now, so I guess I should find a way out and make my way to this the Tower of Salvation. It shouldn't be too hard to find… I think." Gaar turned and walked toward the bridge connecting the circular room to a warp pad. Just as he was about to step onto the pad, it came to life. It whirred louder and louder until a person appeared on the pad. Gaar slowly backed away until he saw who it was.

"Colette!" At first Colette looked at Gaar as if she didn't know what to say. When she got a good look at Gaar though, the blood drained from her face, her eyes grew wide, and she started to edge backwards. She started to shake the longer she gaped at Gaar. "Colette, it's me Gaar. Thank goodness I found you." Colette continued to back away. She held her hands in front of her as she shook her head, terror exquisitely etched across her features. Gaar looked at the Colette apprehensively. "Colette?" Colette backed into the near transparent wall and plastered herself to it. "Colette, what's wrong? Colette answer me!"

"The Chosen no longer has the ability to do so."

Gaar spun around and saw Kratos, his sword held in his right hand, a dark look in his eyes. Kratos walked toward the two slowly.

"Kratos, what's wrong with Colette? Why can't she-SHING" Kratos had his blade at Gaar's throat faster than he could follow the blade. Its edge bit into the soft skin of Gaar's neck as he stared at Kratos, bewildered and confused. "Kratos?"

"Hold your tongue, vile creature," Kratos spat. He turned to Colette and asked, "Are you alright Chosen, did he harm you in anyway?" Colette shook her head and scampered past the both of them into the circular room, up the stairs, and onto the raised platform. There she stood and watched. Kratos watched the girl run by and then slowly turned, eerily calm, toward Gaar. Though it wasn't evident on his outer features, Gaar could see the fires of hatred behind Kratos' pupils. "I assumed you would seek us out, to finish your vile deed."

"Kratos, I-"

"I said be silent!" Kratos pulled back his sword and swung. Gaar rolled underneath Kratos and ran toward the circular room. Suddenly Kratos appeared in front of him and slashed downward. Gaar threw himself to the right, barely escaping the sword bite of death.

"Oof!" Gaar grunted. Kratos removed his sword from the cut new cut in the floor and turned to Gaar. "Kratos, why… what are you doing?"

"Feh." Kratos swung down again, just barely missing Gaar as he rolled away. "I thought that would have been obvious by now. I'm trying to kill you. My reasons for doing so are also blatantly obvious." Kratos jumped and nearly landed on top of Gaar's head, blade first, but Gaar rolled out of the way again. This time Gaar got to his feet and glared at Kratos.

"But what did I do?" Kratos lunged forward, the tip of his blade piercing Gaar's arm as he jumped and then tripped to the right and slid across the room. Grabbing his now bleeding arm, Gaar stood up and looked at Kratos through his disheveled hair. "Dammit, tell me what I did to deserve this. What is this vile deed you're talking about?"

"Do not insult me, boy. You know exactly what you did." Kratos sheathed his sword and started chanting. Light green Mana started to swirl about his body pulling the air into until he was encased in a ball of living air. Then he shouted, "Wind Blade!" The ball of Mana infused air dissipated and then rematerialized around Gaar.

"Aaahh!" shouted Gaar as tens of razor sharp blades of wind cut him all over his body. Once it the spell had run its course, Gaar fell to the floor in a heap. "Kratos," Gaar gasped through clenched teeth, "I honestly do not know what it is I did. Maybe if Genis were here, he could tell you…"

"Hmph." Kratos walked calmly over to the downed boy. "He was the one who told us of your treachery." Gaar squinted up at Kratos.

"Treachery!" he squeaked. Kratos continued to walk slowly, the ring of his sword leaving its scabbard. "I-I would never betray you guys. How… Why… How?"

"I will not be fooled by one such as you. Now prepare to… Chosen, please move!" Colette stood between Gaar and Kratos, arms outstretched. The girl shook her head.

Kratos sighed and sheathed his sword. "I suppose you believe him then." Colette nodded and then held out her left hand. Kratos sighed again and placed his hand in hers. She looked down at Kratos' outstretched hand and then brought her right hand around and started to draw letters onto his palm.

Kratos remained silent until the blond dropped his hand and smiled up at him. Kratos stared long and hard at Colette's innocent pleading gaze and then shook his head in defeat. "I give you my word. Now, it is time for the ritual, please take your place." Colette nodded and went back up the stairs.

Kratos turned to Gaar and started chanting, a green glow surrounding his body. As Kratos said, "First Aid," the healing Mana impacted Gaar and healed most of the bleeding wounds, but not much else. Kratos leaned down and grabbed Gaar by his shirt collar, picked him up, and set him on his feet. "I will respect the Chosen's wish for you to live."

Kratos turned and walked up the stairs. Gaar looked around the room and then quickly followed Kratos. "I don't know why I'm following you, but I am."

Kratos walked to the back of the room and leaned against the wall. "Hmph."

Gaar leaned against the wall as well, though he put a good amount of space between himself and the mercenary.

Colette clasped her hands and closed her eyes. The warp pad on the other side of the bridge started to hum. Then, one after another, Lloyd and the rest of the group materialized. Genis and a small girl materialized last. Gaar narrowed his eyes when he saw the girl.

"That girl… she looks familiar…" Kratos raised an eyebrow. "Esileif… I remember! Her name is Esileif!"

"You know that girl?" Kratos asked Gaar, who stood tapping his foot with his arms crossed.

"I… don't know for sure, but I swear I've met her somewhere before… gah, if only I could remember more." Gaar looked at the girl again. "Hey, how did she end up with my bow…"

"It doesn't matter now," Kratos admonished. "Just be silent during the ritual or I'll disregard the Chosen's wishes… momentarily." Gaar swallowed audibly.

Lloyd, Genis, Sheena, Raine and Esileif stopped just at the end of the bridge and looked toward Colette.

"Colette!" shouted Lloyd. A ball of light appeared from higher up in the tower and descended to just above Colette. The ball flashed brightly once, and then the angel Remiel hovered in its place.

"Now, my daughter," said Remiel. "Release the final seal! In doing so, you will complete the final sacrifice of your human existence, your heart and your memory."

"What!" shouted Sheena.

"Sacrifice her heart and memory!" Lloyd repeated slowly

"No Colette!" Gaar whispered under his breath, but at a glance from Kratos, he fell silent again.

"By doing so of your own free will," continued Remiel, "you will become a true angel!"

"Colette's going to give up her life to seal the Desians away," Genis mused quietly, "interesting…"

"Colette's human life will now end," Raine said in an emotionally dry, soft voice.

Lloyd turned to Raine and asked, "Professor Sage, what do you mean? What is he talking about?"

"Lloyd, I'm sorry. I promised Colette I wouldn't say anything. Colette is will give up her life in order to regenerate the world. Becoming an angel means dying."

"That's not quite correct," Remiel explained. "The Chosen's heart will die, and her body will be offered to the Goddess Martel." Esileif gripped Genis' hand tighter. Genis was straining to keep a straight face. "By offering her body," continued Remiel, "Colette will revive the Goddess. This is the true nature of the world regeneration! The revival of the Goddess Martel…" Remiel paused, "is the revival of the world itself!"

"That's…" Lloyd floundered. "That's…"

"Lord Remiel," Raine interrupted, "we have heard that two worlds are connected to Sylvarant. The one called Tethe'alla lies parallel to Sylvarant. The one called Ear-"

"That is not for you to know," Remiel interrupted. "From whom did you learn of it?"

"You kept it a secret because it is true, correct?" Raine's tone made clear that she wasn't asking.

"Can't Cruxis make all worlds peaceful?" Sheena asked.

"If that is what the Chosen desires," answered Remiel slyly, "she can lend her power to Cruxis by becoming an angel. Once the Goddess Martel is revived by the Chosen, then all worlds will surely achieve peace, just as the Chosen wishes." Colette gasped and tried to speak, but nothing came out. "Is that true, you ask? You know the reason you journeyed here." Colette attempted to say something again, but remained mute.

"You can't," Sheena cried, "are you really preparing to die!"

Lloyd edged forward and with arms outstretched shouted, "Colette, stop!" Colette turned around and looked at Lloyd. "If you sacrifice yourself, your friends who love you… and your family… and… and me, we'll all be sad. It will be the same as sacrificing all of us!" Colette gasped and took a step toward Lloyd, but then held her place, unsure of what to do next. Lloyd tried to move forward, but Genis grabbed his twin ribbons. "Ack… Genis! Let me go!"

"No Lloyd. I don't want anything to happen to Colette either, but she must seal the Desians away or the people of Sylvarant will continue to suffer."

"But…" Lloyd looked back and forth between Genis and Colette.

"The sacrifice of one single person, the Chosen, will save the world. Are you saying that you would choose the Chosen's soul over the entire world?" Remiel asked enticingly. Lloyd's ribbons slackened as he stopped pulling. He looked down and frowned. "Now, Colette," continued Remiel. "Come join your father."

Colette nods sadly, smiles and waves one last time at Lloyd, and then turns around. She walks forward into a glowing rune circle.

"Genis," Lloyd said, "let go."

"No Llo-" Lloyd spun around and drew his sword, cutting his ribbons. Genis fell backwards as Lloyd sprinted forward.

"Wait!" shouted Lloyd. "Remiel! Is there really no other way? Colette's your daughter. Surely you don't want her to die, either!"

"My daughter?" Remiel looked down on Lloyd, annoyed. "Don't make me laugh," he spat. "When I came down to play the role of guardian angel, you inferior beings just started calling me her father on your own."

Lloyd stared at Remiel, dumbstruck. "Wh… what?"

"I merely placed the Cruxis Crystal upon this sacrifice, who was selected to become Martel's vessel."

Lloyd clenched his fists and leaped onto the upper level of the room. He moved quickly into the glowing rune circle, grabbed Colette's hands, and worriedly shouted, "Colette!" Colette stared at Lloyd for a few moments and then Lloyd said, "Colette! If you realized what was going on, then why?" Again the two stared at each other as Colette said something apparently only Lloyd was capable of hearing.

Whatever Colette was saying though was upsetting Lloyd. His frown grew larger and his eyes watered, until tears began to fall to the ground. "Colette," Lloyd sniffed, "I'm sorry! I couldn't save you," Lloyd sniffed again, "I'm so sorry! I promised I wouldn't make another mistake, but it looks like I have again…" Lloyd looked down and stared at the floor in his anguish.

Colette reached out and raised his head to look directly into his eyes. Lloyd's face quickly went from upset to panicked. "Colette!" he shouted. Lloyd held onto Colette's hand as she floated higher and higher into the air. Once she was floating at the same level as Remiel, her luminescent wings sprouted from her back in a shower of sparkling colors. When she opened her eyes after that, they were no longer blue, but a vacant and deep red crimson.

"Hahahahaha!" laughed Remiel maliciously. "I've done it!" he crowed jubilantly. "It's finally complete! Martel's vessel is finally complete!" He laughed again, a long and low laugh of vindicated fulfillment. "With this, I shall become one of the Four Seraphim! Hahahahaha!"

"Wait just a minute!" Sheena shouted. "What are you going to do with Colette?"

Raine sighed sadly and explained, "He is going to take her to heaven." She turned to Genis and growled. Genis was finding it harder and harder to control his mirth.

"You bastard!" Lloyd shouted at Remiel. "You'll pay for this! Cruxis, then angels, the Goddess Martel… it's all a big lie isn't it?"

"Haaaahahahahahahaaa!" All eyes turned to Genis, who was rolling on the floor, holding his gut as he laughed loudly and fiercely.

"Ge-genis? Genis what's wrong with you!" Lloyd shouted at the rolling elf.

"Haaa…" Genis wiped tears from his eyes and struggled to sit up. "I… haha… I could barely stop from… haaaa… myself, it's just so stupid how he pretends to be all high and mighty, when he's really just some average Joe. Hehehe, and the funniest part is we all fell for it. Haaaaa!"

Lloyd still stared at Genis confused. "Genis… what do you-"

"Why… you… insolent inferior being!" exploded Remiel. "I have no further need for you, Be Gone!" Remiel dashed toward Lloyd.

Gaar spun toward Kratos and shouted, "How can you just let him kill everyone? They'll die if we don't do… something… Kratos? Kratos, what's wrong?" Kratos' mouth had fallen ever so slightly, his face slowly drained of color before Gaar's eyes. Gaar felt a chill run up his spine. He turned slowly. As the rest of the room came into his range of vision, the first thing that caught his eye was the deep black arrow lodged in Remiel's chest. Waves of darkness emanated from the thick, pitch black arrow like heat from a sand dune in the middle of the Triet desert. Gaar followed the path of the arrow and his eyes came to rest on Esileif. She was grinning as if she had just blown out the candles on her birthday cake. Her innocent toothy grin stood in stark contrast to the bloodshot, red, vertical slit eyes directly above it.

"Ahh!" said the girl in a deep, base voice. A voice that once heard, caused ones inner-self to tear itself apart in terror induced insanity. "Nothin like shooting angels in the morning!" The girl turned to Gaar and pulled another arrow into place on his bow. Darkness exploded onto the wooden shaft and turned the once innocent piece of wood into a swirling mass of grotesque darkness. "Now it's your turn," the possessed Esileif nodded at Gaar, "Steward!"

* * *

So... what a twist huh.. Instead of some big fight between Remiel, he is taken out by some possessed little girl... that is almost as bad as a when Genis calles the Desian Evil Mages "Amateurs" in the game. And the girl is supposed to be around seven years old, so it is even more ironic. Inri is still off chasing down Pit and his errant peice of cheese. I do hope he keeps the plot intact... 

Please review!


	17. Destiny Hijacked

Ok, here is a huge chapter, not as big as the last one, but still, huge. I included a boatload of plot moving devices in this chapter, and it looks like one of those leaning towers that is about to fall over, that is how stuffed it is.

**Pit**: _All happy and humming._

**Inri**: _Unhappy and scowling._ "Idiot."

**Pit**: _Looks hurt. _ "What did I do? I did save the plot, didn't I?"

**Inri**: "Yes, you saved the plot... and exploded cheese on everything else, including me!"

**Pit**: "How did I know it was going to explode. I thought that when I jumped into the canyon to save it, I would be the one to get hurt."

**Inri**: "Yeah, and instead, the cheese exploded and sent you flying out. Only the cheese that followed you didn't land on you, it landed on me! I've still got cheese in my hair, my ears, my-"

Ok, stop right there. Go... go take a shower or something.

**Inri**: _Stalks off gumbling._

**Pit**: "At least Sierra left happy. She apparently liked to have cheese dumped on to her... but I couldn't understand a word she said, something about her hands and eating the cheese in latin."

Ugh... On with the story...

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia!" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

"Steward?" Lloyd followed Esileif's gaze and found himself facing Gaar. "You, what are you doing here? Haven't you done enough damage already!" Gaar nervously shifted his gaze between the arrow pointed at him and the red clad swordsman staring at him.

"Lloyd," shouted Sheena, "something isn't…" she grabbed her head, trembling. "Something isn't right here. Why… Aaahhh!" Sheena fell to the floor and writhed around.

"Sheena!" shouted Lloyd.

Raine ran to Sheena's side and tried to hold her still. Realization lit Raine's face. "Wait, I know this, this is-Aaahhh!" Raine fell to the floor beside Sheena and started to writhe in pain.

"Professor!" Lloyd and Gaar both shouted at the same time.

"Genis," shouted Lloyd, "what's wrong with the Professor and Sheena. Genis! Genis, say something! Genis!!" Genis continued to stare forward unmoving.

"Fool! Genis Sage has been under my control ever since the Steward repelled my brethren's attack. His is a weak mind, easily controlled, much like yourself, Lloyd Irving! Hahahahahaha!" Lloyd looked back and forth between the demonic Esileif and the catatonic Genis. Then Lloyd growled.

"Your wrong," shouted Lloyd, "Genis is much stronger than you!"

"Hahaha, don't make me laugh! He is weak, just like the rest of you. You practically convinced yourselves that the Steward was a traitor. I merely had to implant the idea and it festered into fruition on its own. Lloyd, you were the one who said the Steward was a coward for not even showing up to explain himself. It was all too easy." The demonic Esileif shrugged grandly.

Lloyd clenched his fist. "So it wasn't Gaar who put the curse on Genis, it wasn't Gaar who was responsible for the Desians and all the suffering on Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, it was you!" Lloyd pointed at the demonic Esileif who was slowly approaching, arrow still trained on Gaar. Genis followed behind the small girl, dragging his feet along the ground with long, slow scrapes.

"Ha!" barked the demon. "It isn't me who poisons your pitiful worlds. And it was indeed the Steward who cursed Genis Sage. At least, that is what my master tells me."

Lloyd turned slowly toward Gaar and asked slowly, "Gaar, is that true?"

"I… I don't remember…" Gaar's shoulders sagged.

Lloyd shook his head and said, "What am I supposed to believe?"

"Hahahaha," the demon cackled loudly. "Enough of this charade, I have no more need for you pitiful fools," the demonic Esileif voiced. The demon swung Esileif's head to the side and Genis was sent flying from the second floor to land in a heap next to the Raine and Sheena. "It's time to die, Steward. Die, for the sake of my master!"

Lloyd drew his swords and prepared to fight. The demonic Esileif smiled again and let go of the arrow's end. The black arrow left the bow and sped through the air at near super-sonic speeds, and then it pinged off of Kratos' Guardian. The demon narrowed Esileif's eyes. "You! You've been a thorn in my side since the day I arrived in this despicable place!" spat the demon.

"Kratos!"

"Lloyd, let us defeat this demon." Lloyd was in the middle of nodding when he stopped, and then turned and stared at Kratos.

"Kratos… you… you have wings." Lloyd stared in awe at Kratos spectacularly elegant blue wings.

"Concentrate on the enemy," Kratos shouted. He lunged forward and chopped another arrow in half. Lloyd scowled and struck out at the possessed little girl. The very fast and agile little girl giggled cutely every time one of the swordsmen attempted to land a strike on her.

"I'm not going to do any good up here," Gaar murmured. He glanced around the room and spotted the others still writhing on the floor, even Genis had begun to writhe. "I have to find a way to help the others." Gaar looked back at the battle and saw the demon jumping from one of the swordsmen's' head to the other. Every time she jumped she would shoot an arrow and, more often than not, it would graze if not out right go straight through a part of Kratos or Lloyd. "I can't heal like the Professor," said Gaar as he jogged down the steps, "I need to revive her first."

Gaar ran down the steps and skidded to a halt next to the writhing mass of bodies. When he tried to touch Raine's arm, a spark of electricity snapped out and zapped his finger. The force of the spark sent Gaar flying backwards.

"Hahaha," laughed the demon. Lloyd ran up to and stopped just in next to the little girl.

"Sword Rain: Alpha!" he shouted and started jabbing his sword faster and faster at the possessed girl's back.

The demon reached around with a one hand, which had a glowing black energy crackling around it, and stopped each and every one of the blows with her pinky finger. "I see you found the side effects of my Death Curse, Steward. No one will be able to help them now. Hahahaha-Aaaaahhh!" Kratos had come up from the other side and with a blade glowing white with focused angelic energy, slammed the broad side of his sword into the side of the girl head. She flew into the wall as if shot from a cannon. Gaar's bow clattered to the ground on the other side of the writhing victims of the Death Curse.

"Whoa, Kratos, that was awesome," elated Lloyd. "How did you do that?"

"Lloyd, this is not the time!"

White sparks of light jumped across the girl's body and the demon grunted. He slowly stood Esileif's body up and glared at Kratos. "For that, you will die a horrible and painful death, angel," growled the demon. "And I will take great pleasure in eating your still-beating heart."

The girl pulled a jagged and rusted knife from somewhere within her clothing and jumped at Kratos with such speed her body almost seemed to disappear. Kratos barely brought his sword up in time to block the attack. Each strike was faster and more vicious than the one before it.

Lloyd backed up against the wall and watched Kratos and the small girl less than half his size trade blows. The action was so quick that Lloyd wasn't sure they were actually moving as much as just standing there, grunting, and twisting around a whole lot.

The two combatants broke apart. Kratos was breathing harder than normal, the demon, regularly.

"Haha," the demon taunted. "Finding it hard to keep up angel?"

"I'm just getting warmed up." With that Kratos flew into the air.

"Oh, you can't escape from me that easily." Black and purple energy swirled around the girl's small figure and she slowly lifted higher and higher into the air until she was level with Kratos. "Time for some more fun, eh? Hahahaa!"

The demonic Esileif shot toward Kratos. He dodged to the right and grabbed onto the wall. Then, looking around and finding his target, pushed off with his feet at speeds so fast he did disappear. The demon did a mid-air back flip just as Kratos' sword swung through the space the girl's neck had just occupied. Then the demon shot off higher into the air and Kratos shot after her.

Suddenly the demon turned around and shot back toward Kratos. When they passed each other, a loud clang echoed through the tower as their blades crashed. They seemed to bounce off of each other, trading blows in quick succession. The clash of their blades produced a rapid beat that would make a rapper cry in delight.

After a final mighty clash of their weapons, Kratos shot downward from the air battle. He curled up into a ball and neatly spun through the air to land on both feet. The demon however crashed into the floor head first.

"Looks like I've won this round," taunted Kratos. "Care for another?"

She growled as she stood up, jumped back at Kratos, and two went at it again.

Gaar slowly sat up, grimaced, and rubbed his head. He glanced up to the second floor and watched Kratos fighting Esileif, then he looked back at the others. "Another curse, huh… Why wasn't I affected by it?"

Gaar glanced again at the fighting angel and demon and then back at the three in front of him. "Maybe it has something to do with me being this Steward thing. Perhaps if I cast some kind of healing spell, it will counter act this curse. But what spell, I don't know any healing… oh wait, I know that one spell…"

Gaar stood and thought for a few seconds, the clings and clangs from the second level continued relentlessly. Then Gaar shrugged and said, "I've got to try. Even if I get the headaches again, I need to save these guys."

Gaar put his hands together and his features scrunched up in concentration. The air around Gaar started to spin and swirl, the glowing stone in his pocket grew intensely bright. The swirling air took on a light blue hue and began concentrating itself onto Gaar's outline.

Kratos was slowly being pushed back. Dark Mana began swirling about the demonic girl and every strike now shot a bit of that darkness at Kratos. Kratos locked blades with the little seven year old girl. The girl grinned and the demon's eyes lit up in joy. Kratos' feet started to slide backwards.

"Now you die angel!" The demon let go of the knife with one of the girl's hands and reached into her clothing. She slowly pulled it out to reveal a vial of a bubbling dark liquid. "This is a sample of my bile, angel, it will utterly destroy you, body and soul. Hahahahaaaa!"

Just as the girl was about to toss it at Kratos' feet, a sword appeared through her gut. Lloyd swung his other sword around and sliced into the little girl's side. Instead of blood pouring forth from the gaping wounds, a dark liquid that burned into the floor did instead. The liquid ate through Lloyd's swords and he fell backwards holding only a pair of sword hilts.

"Heh… Looks like the boy did it for me, Haaahahahaha!" Kratos' eyes grew wider and wider as the liquid got closer and closer to him. The smelly, burning, sulfuric liquid pooled just next to his boot. The smell made his nostrils flare and his eyes water. His throat burned and his hair started to smoke. His skin steamed. Kratos was started coughing and the demon laughed louder.

"Almighty Regenerator!"

A bright white light filled the entire room. The intensity of it rivaled a rather large nuclear explosion at ground zero. The air in the room moved like the hounds of hell were chasing them, and the ground underneath the Tower of Salvation shook.

Lloyd held his arm over his eyes. Kratos leaped back and did the same. The demon screamed in high pitches too high for any mortal vocal cords. The bodies of Genis, Raine, and Sheena snapped and zapped loudly as the light interacted with the evil Mana of the Death Curse. Finally the sparking stopped and dispersed in an explosion of sparks, all of which was drowned out by the intensity of the bright white light.

Just as suddenly as the light exploded on the scene, it was swallowed up into Gaar's body. His body glowed bright red for several minutes as he floated in the air. Then he slowly drifted to the ground. When his skin stopped glowing he slumped to the ground. The stone in his pocket lost its light. Kratos was no longer smoking. The dark black liquid was no where to be found. The wounds Lloyd had inflicted on the girl were completely healed. Lloyd's swords were whole once again. The three who were under the effects of the Death Curse slowly came to. They shook their heads and stood up.

"Wh-where am I?" Genis shook his head and rubbed his face. When he opened his eyes, they nearly popped out of his head. "What happened to my hands?" He looked over himself. "H-how did I get so big?"

"Genis!" shouted Lloyd.

"Genis!" Raine jumped to her feet and pulled the teenager next to her into a tight embrace. "Don't you ever disappear like that again, you hear me!" Genis, turning blue, nodded slowly. He attempted get out of Raine's death hug of doom when she suddenly let him go and straightened her clothes out. She coughed into her hand. "Okay, we can catch up later, right now, we must… wait, what happened here." Raine surveyed the circular room and the destruction therein. She looked at Colette floating above, Remiel dead on the ground, and Kratos' wings.

"Raine," shouted Sheena. The healer spun on her heel and stared coldly at the object of Sheena's attention. "It's… It's Gaar. He's unconscious." She knelt over the boy's body and felt the side of his neck. "He's still alive, but barely."

Raine's eyes turned to menacing slits. She pulled out her staff, scowled, put the staff back, pulled out a rather large hammer, and started to approach Gaar. Genis grabbed Raine's hand and stopped her. "Rain," he exclaimed, "stop Raine!" Raine turned around and quickly swung her hammer at Genis' head, which he just barely dodged.

"Why would you protect him, he's the one that cursed you!" Raine almost seemed to capture the power of the wind in her explosive outburst.

Genis stared and then looked down. "It… it wasn't like that. Gaar wa-"

"Aaaaaahhhh!" Everyone looked at the demonic Esileif. She had been once again slammed into the wall, this time by Gaar's spell. "What… what did the Steward do to me? My… my power, it's gone, all gone, all my precious power is gone. The Steward," the demon flung Esileif's pointer at Gaar, "he… he stole it… all of it, he stole my power… I'll… I'll rip out his heart," the demon growled, "I'll grind his bones to dust, I'll devour his soul, I'll… I'll kill you all!" The demon charged Esileif forward, but she was tripped and fell on her face. Lloyd pulled his foot back, looking innocent to the world.

"Esileif, what's gotten into you," said Genis. He walked toward the downed girl and picked her up, but she pushed him back wards and hit him in the face. The result was a very light slap. "Esileif, snap out of it, don't let that thing control you." Genis grabbed the girl's shoulders and shook her lightly. For a moment the demon's vertical eyes changed into normal green hued human irises, but they immediately changed back.

"Damn you, Steward!" panted the demon. "Damn you all! I'm too… too weak now. Damn…" the girl swayed back and forth. "Damn…" The girl's eyes changed back to normal and she fell into Genis' outstretched arms, out cold.

"Poor girl," said Raine. "I wonder how she got that way."

"It must have happened after Gaar was possessed by the demon." Genis stood up with Esileif in his arms.

Lloyd's eyebrows shot up. "Gaar was possessed by that thing as well?"

"I don't think it was the same demon. Gaar's demon didn't speak the way this one did. It was definitely more intelligent as well." Genis walked slowly toward the prone Gaar.

"Then I assume it was when Gaar was possessed by this other demon that the curse was cast upon you." Kratos walked around the room, walking slowly up to the dead husk that was Remiel. He had not been saved from the demon's bile, and half his arm was missing. Kratos kicked the dead angel before he went, "Hmph," and slowly wandered toward the stairway.

"That's right Kratos," replied Genis. "When he was under the control of the demon, Gaar nearly destroyed an entire town, but I stopped him with the help of several humans. In response, the demon inside of Gaar cast a curse on all of us. Most of the humans around me died instantly, and that is when I blacked out. Everything after that is a big, hazy blur." Genis laid the girl down next to Gaar. "Only Gaar would be able to tell you what happened after that. Where are we, anyway?"

"Genis," said Sheena. "This is the Tower of Salvation. Colette has just become an angel." Genis looked shocked, and then looked up at the floating Colette. She floated in mid air, a serene outward look, and her emotionless red pupils stared out into space.

"I…" Genis croaked. "I don't even remember how we got back to Sylvarant."

Raine stared down at Gaar and then slowly, reluctantly put away the hammer. "Gaar isn't our enemy then. I suppose that is a relief of sorts." She turned to Genis and then quickly turned away.

Lloyd shook his head and said, "He was never a traitor, we were being manipulated by the demon inside of this girl… err… what's her name again Genis?"

"Honestly Lloyd…" Genis sighed and shook his head. "Her name is Esileif, Ey-si-leaf." Genis shook his head and Lloyd sheepishly rubbed his own. "And what about Colette, what happens to her now?"

"What happens now is we find a way to save Colette."

"But Lloyd, Colette's the Chosen, isn't this part of becoming an angel and saving the world, the goddess, and all the other stuff?"

"No Genis, Cruxis and the Goddess are a sham. Colette is just going to become some kind of sacrifice for the angels. I won't let that happen." Lloyd walked in front of Colette. "Colette, come back to us! I'm going to restore you back to your normal self! I promise!"

Colette makes no response whatsoever.

"Colette… have you really forgotten me?"

"You're wasting your time, Lloyd," said Kratos from the second floor. "Not only did she lose her memory, but she has lost the soul to listen to your words. Now, Colette is merely a puppet standing before death's door."

"Kratos," said Genis. "You helped to defeat the demon right?"

"Yes," Kratos nodded, "what's your point?"

"Well, you are an angel too. Doesn't that make you the enemy then? So then why did you help us?"

"Yeah," agreed Lloyd, "if you're an angel, you're with Cruxis, and that makes you our enemy. So why…"

"It matters not," answered Kratos quickly. "All that matters now is Chosen. She is now ready for the final stages of the regeneration process. Her body will be presented to Martel in Derris-Kharlan."

"What are you saying Kratos?" Lloyd unsheathed a sword.

"The Chosen desired the regeneration of the world and chose this path herself," continued Kratos. He crossed his arms impatiently. "By the summoning of the Chosen to Derris-Kharlan, the seal will be broken and the regeneration complete."

"We won't let you take Colette," shouted Lloyd.

"It is what you wanted a well. We will take the Chosen as the new body for Martel."

"We?" asked Lloyd, "Kratos, who exactly are you?"

"I am of Cruxis," Kratos flapped his blue wings for effect, "the organization that guides this world. I am one of the Four Seraphim, sent forth to watch over the Chosen."

"So," Genis realized, "even though Kratos helped to defeat the demon, he is still our enemy."

"You deceived us!" accused Sheena.

"Deceived?" Kratos raised an eyebrow. "If the Chosen merges with Martel, she will awaken, and the world will be saved. Is that not what you wanted?"

"Once her body is taken by the Goddess Martel, Colette will truly die," stated Raine.

"No," replied Kratos. "She will be reborn as Martel."

"Dammit!" shouted Lloyd. He unsheathed his other sword and took a defensive stance between Kratos and Colette. "We won't let you do that! Colette is our friend!" Kratos shook his head and unsheathed his sword. He jumped down in front of Lloyd, who shouted, "Demon Fang!" and sent a wave of energy across the ground. It slammed into Kratos and knocked him down.

Kratos tried to stand up, but settled for a kneeling position. "Fighting that demon… took more out of me than I first thought," he said. Lloyd was about to sheath his swords when a ball of light descended from above. Everyone shielded their eyes. When the light had faded and they moved their arms out of the way, a new angel floated before them. His long blond hair parted only to let through a pair of multicolored wings. Kratos, still kneeling, lowered his head and said respectfully, "Lord Yggdrasill."

Genis' mouth fell in shock. "Who's that?" he asked.

Sheena was just as confused. "Another angel?" she exclaimed. The angel floated down to just above and in front of Lloyd and asked, "Are you Lloyd?"

Lloyd scoffed at the angel. "Give me your name, and I'll give you mine!" he challenged defiantly.

"Haha," the angel laughed insultingly, "people need not introduce themselves to a dog."

"What did you say!" shouted Lloyd.

"Fine!" said the now annoyed angel. "I shall tell you my name, wretched human. I am Yggdrasill. Leader of Cruxis" he paused and smirked. "_And_ the Desians."

He gave Lloyd a menacing glare and then shot forward and sunk his fist into Lloyd's gut. Lloyd eyes nearly popped out of his head and he fell to the ground holding his abdomen as he tried to breathe again.

Yggdrasill moved onto Genis next, picking him up and throwing him into the air. On his trip back to the ground, Yggdrasill flipped backwards and kicked Genis in the head. The silver haired elf fell to the ground unconscious.

Raine attempted to cast a healing spell, but Yggdrasill chanted and cast his own spell faster. "Ray!" he shouted. A large ball of light formed above the unaware healer and after spraying the ground around her with multiple beams of destructive Light Mana, it shot one directly down on top of her head. When the light cleared, she was out cold.

Sheena was now surrounded by a large, glowing rune circle. "I Call Upon The Maiden Of The Mist!" she shouted, her voice echoing through out the tower, and seemingly through space-time as well. "I Summon You! Come, Undine!"

Yggdrasill froze mid-step and a large blue rune circle formed, centered on the angel. Water Mana surged and Undine formed in front of Yggdrasill. She was not happy. Holding up her hand, Undine disappeared and was replaced with a water spout that held enough power to cut through solid steel as a red hot knife would cut through butter. The spout carried the angel high into the air.

Sheena collapsed onto her knees, exhausted and breathing heavily. Yggdrasill appeared behind her suddenly and with a sharp jab to the back of her neck, she fell limply to the ground. Lloyd, since recovered, jumped at Yggdrasill and attempted to stab him in the face. Yggdrasill side stepped the lunge and punched Lloyd in the face hard enough to send him skidding across the floor. Yggdrasill then leaped high into the air and landed on the second floor, where Kratos had slowly maneuvered himself during the very one sided battle.

Lloyd stood up, rubbing his bleeding nose and glared at Yggdrasill, who smiled cruelly held out his hand. A very strong powerful and oppressive presence filled the air, and a sword appeared in front of Yggdrasill. A sword that burst with power and glowed purple. At its appearance, the mighty blade gave off a shockwave that sped through the air and knocked Lloyd backwards into a pillar. The pillar, once solid stone, cracked in half and fell into the dark abyss that was the bottom of the Tower of Salvation.

"Kratos," said the victorious angel, "I trust you have no objections." Without giving Kratos time to respond, he turned back to the barely conscious Lloyd and said, "Farewell." He held out his hand toward the space where the sword was, but the sword was no longer there. "What!" shouted Yggdrasill.

"Hehehehee….." a raspy, half dead voice laughed. "I've done it, I've completed my masters wish… Hehehehe." Kratos' eyes narrowed, and Yggdrasill growled in annoyance. "I've sent the prize with the last of my life force… the Eternal Blade… now… rests… with my master. He… is… un..sto….pable…"

"Fool," grunted Kratos. "That blade is Pact-bound to Lord Yggdrasill. Only he is capable of the simple act of grasping it."

"His master will realize that eventually," said Yggdrasill nonchalantly. "Kratos, take the Chos- Where is Martel's new body." There was no one besides the two angels left in the room. A note fluttered to the floor in front of Kratos.

He bent down and picked the note up. "It reads, 'Sorry, but we cannot allow the revival of Martel. Signed, the Renegades.'"

Yggdrasill scowled. "…Renegades…as irritating as ever. Still, it is of little consequence. Kratos, let us leave."

"As you wish…" the blue winged angel bowed. Yggdrasill flashed and was once again a ball of light. The ball rose higher into the tower until it disappeared. Kratos looked back down at the note in thought. "Hmm… Saved by the Renegades." He crumpled the piece of paper and threw it away. He looked out beyond the room and murmured, "Don't die, Lloyd."

* * *

**Inri**: "Ahh, I feel better now." _Sparkles in cleanessness_.

**Pit**: _Reaches out and pulls a glob of cheese off of Inri's eyes brow._ "I think you missed a spot."

**Inri**: _Vein pops out and left eye twitches._ "I'm going to kill you."

**Pit**: _Swallows audibly._

If you liked this chapter, leave a review. If you don't, well... then I can't reveal things about the plot to you in my responses to your reviews. So it is a good thing to review. And thank you in advance.


	18. Aftermath

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia!" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

"Wake up, young one." The voice was deep and strong, yet not too much so. Gaar opened his eyes and then blinked a few times. "You cannot see anything, because you are surrounded by darkness." 

"How do-"

"I know this because I reside within you and you within me." Gaar looked around again and then down, but he was completely surrounded by darkness. He could feel his fingers rubbing on his face when he did so, but he couldn't see them. The air was warm and moist, comforting in a way. He kicked his feet around but could not find any ground to perch onto.

"I'm confused. Who are you? And where am I?" Gaar's voice echoed into the distance. He frowned and said, "When did my voice get deeper?"

"Heh heh," the deep and strong voice chuckled. "I was right to choose you as my vessel. We are so much alike it that we could be mistaken for birth mates. Always questioning, always seeking answer."

"Huh?"

"I am the one called the Steward, but you may call me Michael. I entered you as a means to escape the demons chasing after me. I was permanently bound to your soul when you were transported from the Earth, as you call it, to Sylvarant." The voice of Michael stopped.

"So…" Gaar said at length, and then after a moment's hesitation, he asked, "what were the demons chasing you for? Why did you choose me? What do you mean by perm-"

"Hahahaha!" Michael laughed jovially, "slowly young one, slowly. Hahahaha!" Even in the darkness, Gaar could feel his cheeks burn at the merry rebuke. "I was running from the demons because I was unable to resist their master, a being whom gained the powers of a human relic, powers that supersede my own in all ways. Powerless in the face of such wonders, I fled, hoping to find a way to out maneuver the beast. That is when I found you, you were my last hope, and I chose you because you were a perfect soul-match to me, as if you were part of my self that had been broken off."

"Hmmm…" Gaar scratched his chin in the darkness. "I don't suppose you could have just found another human relic of equal power to fight this being with."

"Ha!" Gaar covered his ears to stop the loud out burst, before he realized the outburst came from inside his own head. "I apologize for my outburst young one, but our similarities truly are astounding. That was indeed my plan, I was going to ask you to help me find such an object and fight this malevolent force along side me, but alas, you were taken from the planet before I could even contact you."

"What? Why did you need me? Couldn't you have just found it on your own?"

"There is a trick to using human relics," Michael said in a bittersweet tone, "they can only be used by being with a corporeal form, one which I lacked at the time. That is why, when I found you, a perfect vessel, I thought all my troubles were answered. But then you were changed, and I along with you."

"I changed… how?"

"When you arrived on Sylvarant, you were subjected to a number of changes and mutations until you were no longer… as you were originally. In the process, my own spirit and yours were fused, and we became as one. That is why you have abilities that defy Earth logic, among other things, such as memory loss."

"I guess… I guess there is just one thing left to ask." Gaar stretched out in the darkness.

"Oh? Just _one_ more thing?"

Gaar waited letting the silence build until he said, "Where are we, err… I… well maybe two questions…"

"Hahahaha!" Michael laughed joyously. "We will work for now young one, and as for where we are, we are in the depths of the darkness that you brought within your soul."

"M-me? How did I do this?"

"Yes, you did this. You were attempting to heal your friends, the Sylvarantians who were under the Death Curse I believe." When Gaar didn't respond Michael continued, "You cast a spell, a healing spell of great magnitude, which did not only heal your friends of their affliction, but absorbed the power that had inflicted it. Surprisingly, you also sucked all of the power from the demon as well, and where you reside now is the epicenter of that dark power, a globe of darkness that you have created in the depths of your soul. Already it has begun to affect your self perception."

"I don't feel any different…"

"Did you not say that your voice was deeper, you may not feel it but you are also taller, but not much so, and you smell of lilacs, a by product of mixing of dark energies of the demon and my own lighter energies. You have put us into quite a predicament."

"I… I'm confused, how could dark energy change me so much? And I don't even remember casting the spell, so why would I suck up all this energy?"

"I'm not the one to ask, those questions you will have to answer on your own. I must also tell you that because of this darkness, our powers will be substantially weaker. Until you can mediate an answer to the problems the darkness presents… you will be unable to use any of your former abilities… and the dark powers I originally ran from will doubtless continue to hunt for you. You must be on your guard at all times. Be careful who you trust."

"So, then I take it that is the end of our conversation?" Gaar waited for a response, but Michael didn't respond. "Michael. Michael, are you still there?" Suddenly Gaar's ear twitched. Off in the distance, it sounded as if some one were shouting his name. The voice was getting closer and closer.

"Gaar! Gaar wake up!" Genis repeated for the tenth time. When Gaar's eyes slowly began to open, he jumped up from the bed side and promptly shouted into the rest of the small room, "Hey, he's waking up."

"Yes Genis," replied Raine in a comparatively softer voice. She and Sheena were rubbing their ears. "We heard you."

"Geez, that shout could've woken the dead, oww…" Sheena finished rubbing her head and looked to see Lloyd starting to come to. "I think it did …"

"Hehe…" Genis chuckled. "Sorry about that."

Lloyd yawned and stretched his arms and legs. Then he shot out of the bed, rolled across the floor, and had his swords still been in their scabbards, they'd be in his hands, attacking an imagined enemy. "Huh…" he said to the bewildered looks of the others, "where are we? Where's Colette?" Then Lloyd saw her and walked to stand in front of her. He searched her face for any sign of recognition or self awareness, her form for any sign of movement, but was sadly disappointed.

Sheena sighed sadly. "She doesn't respond to anything we say." Turning Sheena walked away from Colette slowly.

"Dammit!" Lloyd shouted as he turned away from Colette. He stomped his foot on the floor, creating a hollow metal thud. His fists, clenched tightly, shook slightly.

Raine shook her head sadly, and then changed the subject. "Lloyd, do you remember this place?" Lloyd looked at Raine curiously. "We're in the Triet Desert." Clearly not understanding she spelled it out for him. "Remember? This is the base where you were captured before."

"Wait, we're in Triet again?" Raine turned to Gaar and nodded.

"What do you mean 'again'?" asked Genis. Gaar slowly rolled to the side of the bed and sad up. He held his head as he swayed slightly and then stood up. He crossed his arms behind his head and stretched them along with his legs.

"Aaahh." Gaar said as he exhaled the breath he had been holding in. "I wound up here after our return trip from Earth. I used their teleportion chamber to get to the Tower of Salvation."

"What were you doing in a Desian base?" asked Lloyd. He scratched his head and then crossed his arms and looked at Gaar questioningly.

"Huh… Desians… what?"

Sheena decided to clear up the confusion. "These guys aren't Desians."

"Oh yeah, now I remember." Gaar smacked his head in embarrassed recollection. "These guys call themselves Renegades."

Lloyd scratched his head again and then tilted it to the side, clearly confused. "Wha-what do you mean? They look like Desians, they sure fight like Desians, shouldn't they be Desians."

Genis rubbed his face, tiredly humming into his hands. "So many things have happened so fast, I'm confused too."

Raine started pacing back and forth. "Then why don't we go over everything we know about the situation as it stands now." Lloyd nodded and then sat down on the rather lush carpeting. He looked down at the carpet, just noticing it, and rubbed it a few times before he looked back up at Raine. Genis and Gaar sat down on the bed he had been sleeping on. Colette remained standing. Sheena walked over to lean against the wall.

"First," began Raine, "our current situation. After the fight with the possessed Esileif-

"Esileif! I completely forgot! Where is she?"

"I'll get to that in a moment, Gaar, be patient." Gaar nodded and Raine continued. "After the fight with the demon, we were all incapacitated by the angel known as Yggdrasill. Apparently we were all about to be killed when the organization on this base that resembles the Desians rescued us. They call themselves, as Gaar mentioned earlier, the Renegades."

"Uh…" Lloyd scratched his head again. "So what you're saying is that the people here are called Renegades and not Desians?" Raine nodded. "Okay, I really don't get it, but go on."

Raine sighed disappointed, but continued anyway. "It seems that the Renegades oppose the Desians. They probably have a reason for intentionally trying to look like Desians."

Realization finally lit Lloyd's face. "All right, I think I get it now." Elements of joy flit across Raine's face. "We were saved by an organization called the Renegades that looks a lot like the Desians." Lloyd thought in silence for a moment then asked, "So then who was that angel guy… Yggdrasill or whatever? And… what about… Kratos?"

Sound seemed to be sucked out of the room at the mention of Kratos' name. Raine spoke up first. "Do you remember Yggdrasill's words? This is just pure conjecture, but Cruxis, holy beings worshipped by the Church of Martel, and the Desians may in fact be the same organization."

Genis' eyes widened and he jumped off of the bed, knocking Gaar backwards, and shouted, "Whoa, wait… that actually makes a lot of sense."

"Genis!" shouted Lloyd and Raine.

Genis sheepishly chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, I'm not used to this older body yet. It's so much… stronger."

"Yeah," said Gaar, rubbing his ears and his bruised cheek. "It's painfully obvious."

Genis looked at Gaar, annoyed, and flatly replied, "Oh har har, Gaar."

"But Professor, Genis, how can that be possible?" Everyone turned toward Lloyd. He was now standing with his arms outstretched, beckoning for an answer. "The Desians have always opposed Cruxis," he went on. "How could they actually be part of Cruxis?"

"Lloyd, don't you remember what Kvar said? He said that he wanted your mom's Exsphere so that he could present it to someone name Lord Yggdrasill." Lloyd looked down at the jewel on the back of his right hand. It glinted in the light.

"Yeah," Lloyd responded, "I remember, but how does that-"

"Lloyd, when that angel descended in the Tower of Salvation, he introduced himself as Lord Yggdrasill," Raine explained. Lloyd nodded and she continued, "And he said that he was the leader of Cruxis and the Desians."

Lloyd thought in silence for a little bit and then said, "If the Desians and Cruxis are the same organization, well then what about Kratos? He obeyed Yggdrasill's orders. That must mean…"

"That's right," Sheena burst out, "he's our enemy! He deceived us!" Everyone looked shocked at the outburst at first, but then the truth of her statements sunk in and their shoulders sagged. "He admitted it himself. He's one of Cruxis' Four Seraphim!"

Raine sighed and crossed her arms. She stated pacing back and forth again. "Kratos is likely a subordinate of Yggdrasill. He probably joined us to make sure Colette didn't stray from the journey to regenerate the world." Raine stopped pacing, sighed sharply, and said bitterly "He did a marvelous job…" Everyone looked at Colette standing serenely in the middle of the room, a bland look of indifference on her tranquil, pale, dead face. Raine sighed sadly again.

"Dammit," Lloyd shouted as he stomped on the floor again, producing another hollow metal thud. "We were deceived by everyone. Remiel, the Cruxis, even Kratos!"

"Well…" Gaar trailed off, and frowned. Shaking his head he said, "There isn't anything we can do about it right now. I think we should-"

"Ah, you're awake." Everyone turned to look at the source of the voice. There in the door stood a Renegade Foot Soldier. "Please, come with me to the next room. Our leader awaits you."

Everyone moved to follow the Renegade from the room, but stopped and looked behind them at Colette. She stood in the same position, bland look of indifference in place.

"What are we gonna do about Colette?" Genis asked. "We can't just leave her here."

Raine shook her head sadly. "I know Genis, but she doesn't hear any of us, I doubt there is any-"

"Hey Colette!" Colette turned her bland face to look at Gaar. The room was stunned into silence. "Come with us, ok?" Colette nodded her head slowly, and then moved into position directly behind Gaar.

"G-gaar how did you do that?" Gaar turned around and faced the multitude of quizzical looks sent his way.

"Do… what?" he responded slowly. He raised his right eyebrow curiously.

"But… it… what about… I didn't… but… no…" Genis and Lloyd stammered.

Sheena and Raine stared at each other and then shrugged. They turned and followed the renegade out of the room with Gaar and Colette close behind, leaving Genis and Lloyd attempting to speak.

"Lloyd, Genis, hurry up!" Raine shouted. The two jumped at the shout and then hurried through the door.

As they were walking, Gaar smacked his forehead. "Hey, you never told me what happened to Esileif."

"She was taken to the prison sector. At least, that is where the Renegades said they were taking her." Raine quickened her pace to catch up to their guide. "They said that the demon inside of her might not be completely dead and wanted to take precautions."

"I see…" Gaar fell silent for a few moments in thought. The group moved down one hall way and then turned right and started down another hallway. "I want to make sure she is alright. Is it okay with you guys if we go there first?" Everyone nodded in Gaar's direction. Taking that as a green light, he raised his voice and said, "Hey, Renegade… er… Soldier."

The Foot Soldier stopped and turned around. "Yeah," he said rather smugly. "What is it?"

"I want you to take me to…" Gaar stopped and squinted his eyes at the Foot Soldier. The Renegade had a large bruise on the side of his face. "Um… did I do that… to your face…"

"Hmmm… hey, wait, you're that kid that knocked me across the room. You know you're just lucky Lord Botta wants you alive, else I'd make you regret what you did." All eyes turned to Gaar, who shrugged sheepishly, and then a large and mischievous grin spread across his face.

"Well… if you don't take me to the prison sector to see the girl, then I might do it again." Gaar grinned the entire time, clearly enjoying himself. The Renegade was about to comeback with a snide remark when he saw the dark looks on everyone else's face and swallowed audibly.

"If it makes you feel better, we'll just tell your leader that Gaar was acting up and had to be taken to the prison sector." Raine crossed her arms and gave the Foot Soldier one of her stares, which caused Genis and Lloyd to swallow loudly.

"Fine… fine, you win, I'll take you." The Foot Soldier turned and continued on his way. "After I drop off the rest of you, I'll take the kid to the prison sector. And I'm only taking the kid, the rest of you are going to meet with our leader." Before anyone had a chance to complain the Foot Soldier said, "And no complaints or no one's going, got it?"

Genis and Lloyd looked like they were about to protest anyway, but Gaar put a hand on their shoulders and said, "It's ok, if he doesn't do as agreed, history will just have to repeat itself."

"Gaar…" Lloyd slowed his pace until he was walking next to the black haired boy. "What's happened to you? You were never this devious before. It's almost as if the demon jumped into you…"

Gaar's face blanched for a second before he coughed and shook his head. "It's nothing, I'll tell you guys later."

"Alright…" Lloyd thought for a moment and then said, "Gaar, we might have to fight our way out of here, so we'll need to meet up someplace if this doesn't go well."

Gaar patted Lloyd on the back. "Whatever happens, I'll find a way to get back to you guys." Lloyd nodded.

Moments later the Renegade stopped in front of a door and motioned for the group to enter. "You five go in here. I'm taking the kid to the prison sector where he'll stay until otherwise ordered. Don't worry, it has been ordered no one is allowed to harm any of you, so he'll be fine." The Foot Soldier ignored the wary looks he received and turned and started walking away from the door. "Come on kid, let's not take all day." Gaar nodded and followed after the Renegade.

The first room he entered into was the same room Gaar had last seen his Renegade guide. It was the same room with the large purple cube in the center of the room. Only now the cube had been opened in nearly a hundred different places. Dozens of technicians were hovering over the device. The image reminded Gaar of Raine when she found the computer console in the Asgard Ranch.

"That is just some of the damage you caused kid. The Dimensional Transfer System has been completely crippled. This just makes all the more harder to defeat Cruxis." Gaar continued to silently gaze at the technicians as they continued mundane jobs. Then Gaar's gaze turned to face directly behind him and noticed Colette following an even three feet back, staring ahead blandly. Before he had any time to react though, the Foot Soldier yelled at Gaar from inside a door way. He ran to catch up and saw the Renegade already heading down a stair well.

The stairs ended inside of another hallway. On their way toward the end of the hallway, they passed a t-junction. Gaar looked down the perpendicular hall and saw it deserted. At the end of the hall and down another set of stairs, Gaar could just make out a door with a picture of a strange machine plastered onto it. Shrugging, Gaar ignored it and followed the Renegade down the rest of the hallway into a large open room with a spinning circular device in the center of the room. Floating robots patrolled here and there about the room.

The Renegade moved past the robots, ignoring them as if they weren't even there. He led Gaar and Colette into a doorway guarded by two of the floating robots. Once inside, he walked down a short ramp and then turned to look into the main processing room of the prison sector. Beyond the room, along the left wall, there was another hall entrance. Gaar could easily see the cell blocks in the hall.

"Hey, Darius, I brought a guest for the prisoner." The shout brought another Foot Soldier from the hallway.

Upon seeing the 'guest', Darius said, "Barnaby, I thought you were bringing them to see the Lords… and why did you bring the angel?" The Renegade Foot Soldier now known to be Barnaby turned and saw Colette standing perfectly still exactly three feet behind Gaar, who was trying not to laugh.

"Ugh… I thought I told you to go in to meet the Lords!" shouted Barnaby. Colette didn't respond in any way, shape, or form. Barnaby was about to go on, but Darius put a hand on his shoulder.

"Do you remember what Lord Botta said angels in this state could do? Remember the part where he described how efficiently they could kill, and how quickly, with only a paper clip if needed?" Barnaby swallowed and then nodded at Darius.

"Whatever, this kid's been on my bad side since he knocked me for a loop. Just… just stick 'em in the cell with the witch. Wait for someone to come and get them before you release them." Barnaby turned and walked away from the little group, muttering under his breath, "I'm not a babysitter for crying out loud."

Darius snorted and said under his breath, "Me either." Then he turned and walked back toward the hallway. "Hey kid, get you and that angel over here. You're going in the cell with that girl you came in with." The shout caught Gaar's attention, as he'd been looking at the stuff in the main processing room. When Gaar entered the hallway, he immediately saw the first cell door open, and Darius waiting impatiently by the switch. "Well," he said, tapping his foot. "Come on kid, I don't have all day!"

Gaar snorted and walked calmly and slowly into the cell, Colette directly behind him. When both of them were in the cell block, Darius pressed the activation button for the door and it slid shut with a pressurized hiss.

* * *

I guess this is not much of an actiony chapter... but it does answer some of the questions readers might have. But still... Well, you can definitly look forward to action in the next chapter. The group gets to go to Tethe' alla for the first time, and meet Zelos. And seeing as how Gaar can communicate with Colette, which is still unexplained, we'll just see how that whole first meeting goes differently. I realize that I havn't updated in over a month. Sorry for that, Lots of stuff that I had to do, work and school and such, and I had no time for myself whatsoever. Well, now I made up for it, so no worries. 

Oh and I'd like to ask the reviewers to answer a few questions if they could.

What do they think of my portrayal of the characters so far, OC's and Cannon Characters?

Regarding my plot so far, what do you think of that? I realize it is mysterious, but is the narrative carrying you through the chapters or is it actually in the way? Should I be speeding up, or slowing down? I know I could always work more detail in somehow if that could help.

As for Gaar, I would like to know if he seems like a well rounded out character. Is the way I write about him make you the reader beleive he is actually there, or is it unbelievable?

That is all... Thank you for Reading. Please Review.


	19. Veiled Intentions

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia!" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

"Clang!" 

That sound resounded throughout the prison sector, signaling the closure of one of the cells within. Inside of the cell, it was dark and smelled of fresh earth. Gaar and Colette stood and looked down upon the sleeping form of a small girl. She had leaned her upper body on the cot inside the cell and fell asleep with her head lying upon her intertwined fingers. Gaar slowly approached the girl until he was standing directly over her.

"She cried herself to sleep," he said. Gaar leaned over and ran his fingertips over the mattress next to Esileif's head. "It's still damp." Colette moved slowly, unnaturally, to stand next to Gaar, her face facing forward and her body as stiff as a board. There, she tilted her bland, expressionless face to look down at the slumbering child. Esileif's eyes gradually opened until the sleepy haze lifted from her face and she focused on Gaar.

"Gaar!" she shouted with a guttural, throaty accent. She leaped at Gaar and wrapped her small arms around the older boy. Her shoulders started heaving and she sobbed into Gaar's shoulder. He slowly put his arms around his emoting assailants shaking form, his surprised expression softening.

* * *

Lloyd walked warily into the office he had run into his first visit to the Renegade base. He spotted two familiar men in the center of the room standing in front of a large, wooden desk and moved toward them. Lord Botta was talking to a blue haired man between him and the group. Lloyd assumed the blue haired man, whom he'd run into before, was the leader of the Renegades. 

Genis and Raine looked about the brightly lit room, inspecting the finely adorned walls and upholstery. Raine's eyes sparkled at the portraits of a royally dressed human with a golden crown on his head. Below the painting the words "Cleo III" were impressed on a gold plate.

Sheena was the last to enter the office. She glanced around the room once and then came to a stop behind the others with a frown. In that glance, she saw no guards, no other Renegades, besides the two Lords in the middle of the room.

The Leader stopped talking with Botta and turned around. "I see you're finally awake. Eh- Where is the Chosen and that boy?"

"They were acting up and had to be taken to the Prison Sector," Raine explained. The Leader raised an eyebrow but remained stony and silent.

Lloyd coughed into his hand and then hesitantly asked, "Are you… the Renegades?" The Leader turned to face Lloyd, impassive features making him impossible to read.

"Correct," he nodded. "We're an underground resistance dedicated to fighting the Desians… or rather, the Cruxis." The room fell silent and the Leader crossed his arms and started tapping his fingers on his biceps.

"So," Lloyd crossed his arms and his face contorted painfully in concentration. "Cruxis and the Desians really are the same organization!" Lloyd shook his head as concentrating became too painful.

"Correct," Botta affirmed. "Cruxis controls the Church of Martel in the open, and operates the Desians from behind the scenes." Botta paused for a moment, his words sinking in. "The Desians are a subordinate organization within Cruxis."

"The Church of Martel is nothing more than an instrument created by Cruxis to rule the world. Those who call themselves angels are half-elves, who've evolved by using a special Exsphere called a Cruxis Crystal. They aren't gods or anything of the sort. Of course, the Church of Martel and the Chosen know nothing about that." The leader started tapping his fingers faster and then clenched his hand into a fist, willing his shaking hands still.

Sheena looked up and said, "They're half-elves, too!"

"Yes," Botta said at length. "Some of the Desians, as well as Cruxis and ourselves, are half-elves."

Lloyd was concentrating again. "What exactly is Cruxis trying to do? Are they doing all of this just to rule the world? And what about Gaar? What does he have to do with any of this?"

The leader clenched his fists again. "Do you intend to have us explain everything?" he snapped. "How about using your own head a little?"

Raine spoke up. "Then do they really are trying to resurrect the Goddess Martel? They send Oracles to those of the Mana lineage and control their marriages to create Chosens who become the vessel. It seems meaninglessly drawn out and complicated.

As far as Gaar is concerned, I'm not even sure he's from this planet. His Mana signature and his overall state of being are vastly different than Humans, Dwarves, Elves, or Half-elves. The demon inside of Esileif called him the Steward, a title that is only for those who watch over and care for some other person, place or object. But for what reasons would someone of such stature and power come to this planet?" The two lords of the Renegades wore a range of expressions from slightly amused to shock. Raine crossed her arms and waited patiently, giving the two Renegades her best teacher stare.

"Well, well." Botta murmured. "I am impressed." He looked at the Leader who sighed and nodded.

"There is another world beyond Sylvarant," said the leader slowly. "The two worlds compete for Mana."

"Tethe'alla," stated Lloyd.

"Yes," agreed the Leader. "And the one who created this twisted world was Cruxis Leader, Yggdrasill."

"What!" shouted Genis. Everyone in the room except the Leader covered their ears, wincing. "Create a world? That's ridiculous! No one can do that!"

The Leader's right eyebrow began to twitch. The calm exterior on his face was quickly brought back in place however. "If that is what you believe," he said, "then our conversation ends here." The Leader turned and walked away.

"Wait," shouted Lloyd. The Leader stopped and turned his head to look over his cape clad back. One eye studied Lloyd through the blue locks of wispy hair, waiting for an answer. Lloyd continued his plea, "If Yggdrasill was the one that created the two worlds himself, what can you possibly hope to do against someone like that? And that's not all. You tried to kill Colette and me. You're certainly not on our side. Yet for some reason, you saved us. Why?"

The Leader turned around, smirking, and said, "You're not as stupid as you seem."

Lloyd's hand immediately went to his swords and he said, "Excuse me!" Then he let go of their hilts, clenched his hands, and let them fall to his side. Behind him, Raine released the hold she had on her staff, though her form remained tense. Genis looked over at her and then back to Botta as he began to speak.

"Our goal is to stop Martel's revival," he said. "Therefore, the Chosen, who would become her vessel, was an obstacle. We believe your friend, Gaar, was brought in by Yggdrasill to provide the necessary power to carry out the process, and therefore we attempted to kill him as well." The room was silent for a moment.

The Leader then walked forward to stand in front of Lloyd. "Unfortunately, the Chosen completed the Angel Transformation. The Chosen is now a lethal weapon whose only goal is self-preservation. We wouldn't dare lay a hand on her. And Gaar, heh, no longer has the power he once did." Lloyd stared at the Leader's face and then slowly stepped backwards. "But now we have the key to stop Martel's resurrection," the leader continued. "We no longer need to eliminate the Chosen!"

With a pressurized hiss, the door behind the group opened. In stormed several Renegade Foot Soldiers and Evil Warriors. They pulled out their assortment of weapons and brought them to bear, pointy end forward, upon the group. Outside the door, a few Raybits hovered about, their red optical sensors glowing as they trained their gun muzzles on Lloyd. Several red circles appeared above Lloyd's ear.

Lloyd looked around, finding a Renegade in every direction he looked. "What?"

He was about to pull free his twin sabers when he was grabbed from behind by the Leader. "What we need is you, Lloyd Irving!" The leader whispered into his ear. Lloyd struggled to break free of the strong as steel grip.

"Me!" Lloyd shouted. He writhed about in the bear hug that would not quit. "What's so special about me?"

"That's none of your concern!" the leader responded, then he turned toward Botta and said, "Kill the rest. Leave the ones in the Prison Sector there to rot." Botta nodded grimly, and turned back to face the other three who now stood back to back. Genis was awkwardly holding a Kendama too small for his hand, Raine held a nasty looking battle hammer, and Sheena had her Mana infused cards in her hands.

Lloyd wiggled about, flung his head back wards, even stomped as hard as he could on the blue haired guy's foot. All the leader did was grunt. In a final attempt to break free, Lloyd slammed his elbow into the Renegade Leader's gut as hard as he could.

At first nothing happened. And then the veins popped out of the Leader's head followed by his eyes. His grip on Lloyd loosened enough for him to break free. As he separated himself from the Leader, Lloyd kicked the blue haired man as hard as he could in the gut for good measure. The man went flying backwards several feet and landed with a groan.

"Lord Yuan!" shouted several of the Renegades surrounding the group. Several of them ran to see if their leader was alright. Botta was already at his side.

Lloyd rejoined the rest of his friends and eyed the Raybits outside of the door and the remaining Renegades in their way. The Renegades stared at the group and the group stared back, neither moving, both daring the other to make the first attack.

Genis looked down at the pitifully small toy in his hands and sighed. "This won't work anymore," he muttered. Lloyd looked over his shoulder at the Elf with a critical eye as Genis threw the toy with a grunt. It sailed through the air and smashed into the head of a Foot Soldier, who coincidentally had a bruise on the side of his face. The blow was strong enough to knock the Renegade off his feet and into the wall behind him. He slid to the ground unconscious.

Genis turned to Raine. "Hey sis, do you mind if I borrow your staff for now." Raine nodded. She unhooked the bejeweled staff and tossed it at Genis, who caught it, expertly twirled it around, and finished by holding it at a defensive diagonal in front of him. "That's better," he said, a satisfied smile splitting his face.

"No," hissed Botta, "It's his wound from Hima!" Everyone in the room looked over to the downed Yuan. Except Raine.

She watched the Renegades around her look away and took the opportunity to lunch forward, swinging the large hammer down on the Renegades hands. No longer able to use said hands, the Renegade stared at them for a few seconds and then ran out the door crying.

In the few seconds that it took for those events to occur, Sheena had downed another three Foot Soldiers with well placed Pyre Seal explosions. Genis started chanting. And Lloyd launched into a flurry of stabbing motions and slices. He ripped holes in the belly of a fat Renegade. Chopped the hands off of another. It was a very bloody ordeal.

"Damn you Kratos…" moaned Yuan, "How many times must you get in my way!" Raine looked around. The Raybits were the only things left in their way. Lloyd paused and faced Yuan.

"Thunder Blade!" shouted Genis. Sparkling purple Mana erupted from the tip of the staff he was holding. It streaked toward the Raybits at the speed of light and slammed into the floating machines like a freight train hitting a watermelon. And then, as if that obliterating blow weren't enough, an enormous blade formed from the electrical charge left in the air and completely destroyed the pieces of the Raybits that were left.

"Wound from Hima?" Lloyd asked. "Are you telling me that the one who attacked Kratos was?..."

"Lloyd!" Sheena shouted from the door. "What are you doing!" Lloyd took one last look at the downed Lord of the Renegades. Then he turned and bolted out of the door, the Renegade soldiers still in fighting shape hot on his tail. As he passed Sheena, she shouted, "Corrine!" Smoke exploded in front of her, causing the Renegades pursuing Lloyd to stop and warily eye the smoke cloud. Sheena turned and ran out the door, leaving a small, growling, tan colored, blue tailed creature facing the dozen or so Renegades.

* * *

The walls of the Prison Sector shook, sending dust and dirt to the floor. The lights flickered on and off a few times before stabilizing. Gaar, still holding Esileif, looked outside of the cell bars. Then he sat down on the cot, grabbed Esileif by the shoulders, and looked her straight in the eye. 

"Esileif, we're going to be breaking out of here. I need you to stay close to me, ok?"

"Jà Gaar" she responded, wiping the tears from her cheeks with the backs of her hands. She grabbed onto his arm as he stood up and faced Colette.

"Colette." She turned her blood red eyes and straight, emotionless face to look at Gaar. "We need to find a way out. It looks as if the meeting with the leader didn't go as planned. We have to get out of here and meet up with Lloyd and the others." Colette nodded slowly and turned around. Gaar walked over to the bars and looked around the outside. It seemed like there used to be a switch next to the door just beyond reach, but the controls there had been badly burned.

Grabbing the bars, Gaar shook them trying to get them to move, but they didn't even budge. Colette then moved next to Gaar and grabbed the bars. The metal groaned and buckled under her angelic grasp. Then the two bars she was holding onto snapped off of the door. Colette slowly looked down at the bars in her hands and then at Gaar. Gaar half grinned and laughed half-heartedly

"Vér ugga austrvegr Kona," Esileif whispered hiding behind Gaar.

He frowned and said, "It's okay. She's on our side." Esileif took another look at the emotionless Colette, who turned her head to look at her, before she quickly buried her head into Gaar's back with a small moan. Gaar reached behind his back and patted the small girl's head lightly. Colette looked at the bars again and then walked out of the hole in the cell door that she had made. She rounded the corner and entered the main processing room, leaving Gaar and Esileif in the cell.

"Hey you!" they heard Darius say from the other room. "How'd you get out of your cell? Wha-what are you going to do with those bars?" A short pause and then. "No! S-s-stay back! Don't come any closer! Ahhhh-BOOONGGGG!"

Colette came back around the corner, minus the metal bars. Gaar swallowed and then said, "I guess that means you took care of the guard." Colette nodded slowly and then turned and walked off slowly.

Gaar reached around and grabbed Esileif's hand and lead her out of the prison cell. As they passed the scene Colette had created, Gaar leaned down and whispered into Esileif's ear, "Aren't you glad she's on our side." The small girl nodded, clutching tightly to Gaar's hand.

Before he completely left the room, Gaar saw a glint out of the side of his eyes and stopped. Looking back he saw his bow, quiver, and the red jewel that he thought was in his pocket. "Can't forget these," he said, picking up the items.

"Koma Gaar!" said Esileif while tugging on his sleeve. "Skynda Gaar!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he managed to get out as Esileif dragged him up the ramp and out into the large open room with the circular machine in the middle. On the ground were pieces of the robots that were patrolling earlier. Across the room, Colette was bashing the door they had entered from with one of the robots. After several loud and what looked like powerful blows to the door, the bashed in metal gave way with a loud groan and fell into the hallway.

Colette then flung the Raybit she was holding over her should and walked into the mechanically into the hallway. The Raybit smashed into the wall on the opposite side of the large room and fell to the ground in many pieces. Gaar and Esileif moved to follow Colette when several more Raybits flew from the hallway into the room and slammed into the exact same spot as the first one, leaving a dark black soot mark on the wall and a smoking pile of electronics on the ground. The two stopped and looked at each other, and then continued toward the hallway.

When the two got into the hallway, the lights lining the walls were blinking on and off at irregular intervals. Standing in front of the T-junction was Colette, waiting calmly for them to catch up. Sparks and electricity exploded above Colette, but she didn't even act as if any thing had happened. Her blood red irises seemed to glow unnaturally in the sparkling light. Gaar shuddered.

When Gaar and Esileif reached Colette, she turned and walked down the hallway toward the door with the image of a machine plastered on it. Inside the room, the three came face to face with five Renegade Foot Soldiers. They all had their faces plastered to a computer console, so they only noticed the intruders when the door hissed shut.

"Who are you?" asked the first Foot Soldier.

Gaar thought for a moment and then said, "I guess you could call us fugitives, I mean we did break out of jail. But then again, you are the ones who were holding us against our will. So I guess that makes us," Gaar lowered his head until his eyes were level with the Renegades', "your worst nightmare."

"Oh yeah," said the second Renegade. "Well there's five of us and three of yo-"

"Ah, ah, ah." Gaar said, wagging his pointer finger back and forth. "I believe that my friend here is the angel that you were told by Botta to be wary of, correct?" The Renegades immediately stiffened up, all drawing their swords. "Now, I believe that he described to you what they could do with a paper clip, am I right?" The Renegades nodded slowly, still staring at Colette. "Well it just so happens that I have a paperclip right here." Gaar reached into his pocket and pulled out a paper clip. "I picked it up when I grabbed my stuff. I wonder if what Botta said was true." Gaar handed the paper clip to Colette. The Renegades all swallowed loudly. Colette took the paper clip and then, holding the small wire at arms length, she approached the five Foot Soldiers at an enticingly slow pace.

* * *

Well, there ya have it. Action, Plot, More action... hmmm and Colette is a total killing machine... 

_Colette_: . . . (Translation: "I'm sorry!")

Well there ya have it. Colette, the appologetic killing machine.

_Colette_: . . . (Translation: "I'm really, really sorry!")

_Inri_: I wonder if I can learn to do those moves.

_Pit_: Well first you'd have to become a zombified angel... wait... Yes, I think Inri should do it to.

_Inri_: I think I'll pass on the Zombiefying part thank you.

_Pit_: Awww...

I wonder how my readers are enjoying this story so far. It sure would be nice to know. So, in an effor to get more reviews, I'm going to give Colette the name and address of all the readers who don't review and a paper clip... Just kidding. But seriously, I'd like to know if you likes me story, so, Please review!


	20. The HeartPounding Escape

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia!" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

"Finally," Lloyd said, wiping sweat from his forehead. The group of four walked through the door that they had finally unlocked. "I thought we'd never figure that place out." 

"Lloyd, you always get bore quickly," said Genis, deadpanning. Lloyd scowled at the silver-haired, teenage elf, who grinned back. Lloyd continued to scowl as he slowed his pace until he ultimately came to a complete stop. "Lloyd, what's wrong?" asked Genis.

Lloyd sighed. "Everything is wrong," he said. Raine and Sheena joined Genis and stared at Lloyd while he thought. They jolted when Lloyd suddenly shouted, "Dammit! What's so special about me? Those Renegades need to hurry up and make up their freaking minds about whether they're our enemies or not!"

Genis sighed and asked, "Lloyd, what are we going to do now?"

After a few more moments of silence, Lloyd said, "We've got to save Colette somehow. She's going to die if she's made into Martel's vessel."

"But what can we do?" Genis shouted, throwing his arms into the air for emphasis. Silence once again settled over the group. Every member wore expressions of deep thought or concentration.

"Sheena, where did you get your Exsphere?" Raine asked.

"Huh?" Sheena looked at Raine, confused. "Well that came out of nowhere." She looked down at the gem on the back of her hand. "I got this before I came here," she said. "They attached it to me at the Imperial Research Academy."

"Is it normal for people to equip Exspheres in Tethe'alla?" Raine asked.

"No, not at all," said Sheena, shaking her head. "The technology was originally brought over by the Renegades. Nowadays Exspheres are mainly attached to machines."

"Wait a second," Lloyd said, arms crossed, and obviously thinking. "So… Tethe'alla and the Renegades are on the same side?" he asked.

"I'm not sure if you could say that," explained Sheena. "But the Renegades were the ones that brought us information about the nature of the two worlds. And the plan to assassinate the Chosen was their idea. They talked the King and the Pope into it." Sheena started modulating her voice so that it was lower, which would have been amusing if her next sentence weren't so detrimental. "If you desire for Tethe'alla to prosper, kill the Chosen of Sylvarant." Lloyd was too deep in thought and Raine kept a straight face.

Genis though, was aghast. "That's horrible!" he shouted. The other three in the group immediately threw their hands over their ears, crying in pain.

"Genis!" Lloyd shouted. But Genis was in too much shock to be apologetic.

Raine finished rubbing her ears and said, "Lloyd, I suggest we got to Tethe'alla." Lloyd once again went into deep thought, becoming oblivious to the outside world.

Genis, now confused, asked, "Why Tethe'alla?"

"Don't you remember what Yuan said?" she asked. "Angels are half-elves that evolved using special Exspheres called Cruxis Crystals."

Lloyd pumped his right fist into his left palm, finally figuring it out. "Oh, I get it!" he exclaimed. "Colette's current condition is caused by the Cruxis Crystal."

"Exactly," Raine said, nodding. "Since Tethe'alla is studying Exspheres, they may know something about Cruxis Crystals as well."

"That's a good idea," Sheena said. "I'm pretty sure that they're studying the Cruxis Crystal that belongs to Tethe'alla's Chosen at the Imperial Research Academy."

"There's a Chosen in Tethe'alla, too?" Genis asked.

"Of course." Sheena said matter-of-factly. "The world regeneration ritual is carried out in Tethe'alla as well. The Church of Martel exists, too."

"But if they've been carrying out the regeneration that many times, why hasn't Martel's vessel been completed already?" Lloyd asked.

"I'm curious about that myself," said Raine. "Perhaps those corpses lined up in the Tower of Salvation were…" Raine trailed off and then grimaced and shook her head. "No," she said, "never mind."

"Yeah," agreed Lloyd. "There are too many things that we don't know. Cruxis' objectives, the Renegades, the method to save Colette… So let's just start with what we can do now."

"So we're going to Tethe'alla?" Sheena asked. Though she resigned herself to doing so, she still sighed in defeat. For fleet moments, worry graced her downtrodden complexion.

"Yeah," affirmed Lloyd. "That's the only lead we have right now. And this time, I'm going to fulfill my role. I'm not going to let Colette bear the burden all by herself anymore."

"Wait a minute," said Genis. He held his hand up by the side of his head, and everyone who was moving to leave stopped and turned to Genis. "That's great and all, but how exactly did we plan on getting to Tethe'alla?" he asked. Lloyd's determined expression faltered a little bit, but it quickly regained ground when he saw the look on Raine's face.

She turned to Sheena and said, "I'm sure Sheena knows how to get there." Everyone looked to Sheena. "Correct?" Raine asked.

Sheena nodded. "My understanding is that you can travel to Tethe'alla by passing through a distortion in space," she explained. "As far as I know, crafts called Rheairds are the only things that can do that."

"Where are we going to find a Ree-Yard?" asked Lloyd. Raine and Sheena sighed, slapping their foreheads. Genis groaned loudly and shook his head back and forth violently, his silver locks flying every which way, slapping both Lloyd and Raine in the shoulders.

"Okay," said Raine with a great sigh. She pointed at Genis and said, "One, Genis, you need a haircut." Genis grabbed a lock of his hair self-consciously. Raine shifted her aim until she pointed at Lloyd and said, "Two, it's Rheaird, not Ree-Yard, Lloyd." Lloyd put on a sour face and grumbled about being lectured. Raine let her arm fall to her side and turned to face Sheena. "And three," she said, "Sheena, where do the Renegades keep the Rheairds?"

Sheena smirked. Nodding, she said, "The Renegades should have a few on this base somewhere."

"But Professor," said Lloyd. "How did you know the Renegades have Rheairds?" She turned to Lloyd and held her left elbow with her right hand. With her left hand she massaged her forehead and shook her head slightly from side to side.

"Honestly Lloyd, if the Renegades are in both Tethe'alla and Sylvarant, how did they get there?" she asked. Without waiting for an answer, she turned and led the way toward a door on the other side of the room. Lloyd stood still for a moment before all the right cogs in his mind clicked, and he understood what Raine was saying. Then he looked up and noticed everyone waiting for him on the other side of the room.

Lloyd ran toward the others as they were about to venture into the prison sector. Unfortunately he tripped on the scattered remains of the Raybits all over the floor. He reached down and picked it up, examining the burn marks and the odd angle that this particular piece was bent at. Lloyd looked over his shoulder and noticed on the wall a large black burn mark.

When the others had come back out of the Prison Sector, Genis comparably paler than he was before he had gone in, Lloyd motioned for them to look at the burn marks on the wall, and the assortment of junked Raybits on the floor.

"It looks like a battle took place," Lloyd said. "A very intense battle," he added. "Gaar must have had to break out. He and the Renegades had a big battle over it."

"I hope Colette's ok," said Genis. He looked over his shoulder, toward the closing door of the Prison Sector, and turned a little green. "I really hope she's ok."

"Yeah, let's hurry up and find them, before we go looking for the Rheairds," said Lloyd. He lead the way out of the room. Going through the only remaining doorway led into the badly damaged hallway, though by now, the security program had kicked in and power in this hallway had been switched off.

"How can they find their way around in this place if they turn off all the lights," Lloyd complained. And then, he tripped over another obliterated Raybit. "Whoa!" he shouted. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, Genis was able to grab onto his white ribbons before he went all the way down.

Once Lloyd was standing on his own two feet again, Genis let go of the ribbons. Lloyd was rubbing his neck, breathing irregularly. "Thanks, Genis… I think."

"No problem, Lloyd," said Genis.

Raine sighed and said, "We are going to have a lot of trouble moving through this place if it is entirely blacked out."

"Oh yeah," said Genis, "This should help." He held out his hand and fire, like a glowing viscous liquid forming in mid air, pooled in the palm of his hand until he held a not too bright to look at ball of fire. The flames never left the sphere, did not burn Genis' hand, and lit the immediate area they were standing in. Included in their newer range of vision were all the parts and pieces of the Raybits that were just earlier hidden by a veil of darkness.

"Wow," they all said at the same time. Raine looked up at the ceiling, noting the damage there, as well as some pieces of a Raybit stuck in the ceiling.

"I can't believe Gaar did all of this," said Lloyd, still looking around, "I mean this is… this…"

"Lloyd," said Genis, still breathlessly shocked. "This _is_ Gaar we're talking about…"

Lloyd swallowed audibly. "Oh, yeah," he said.

"We should move cautiously," said Raine. "They probably turned the power off because how badly damaged this hallway is. There's no way of telling what is or isn't dangerous until we're upon it and it's too late." They all nodded and formed a line as they moved down the hallway. Lloyd took point, followed by Genis, holding his fireball high to light the way. Raine was right behind him and she was followed by Sheena. When they came to a T-junction in the hallway, Lloyd stopped.

"I think I see a light at the end of this hallway, come on." Lloyd took off down the hallway, leaving the relative safety of Genis' lighted area. Almost immediately, Lloyd tripped on something and flew through the air. "Whoa!" he shouted, but his shout was cut off by the crashing sound that followed.

"Lloyd," Genis bemoaned under his breath as he shook his head. But there was a light at the end of the hallway, and Lloyd's shadow was easily seen standing back up. "You okay Lloyd?" asked Genis.

"Yeah, I'm alright," he said, grunting. "Watch out for the pile of garbage over here," he shouted. "I'm going to check out the room up ahead."

"Be careful Lloyd," shouted Sheena.

"No worries, guys," Lloyd shouted back. A few moments later however, Lloyd was again making angry noises and another pile of junk tumbled to the floor. Once Lloyd had made it to the relative safety of the lit area just in front of the door, he started to pick up his pace.

Lloyd raced through the doorway and skidded to a halt, his shoes squeaking on the super reflective floor, as a body landed heavily in his pathway. He stared at the Renegade Foot Soldier for all of three seconds before he looked up in disbelief.

Colette stood alone in the middle of the room, her fists at her side. A paper clip that had been straightened out fell from her right hand. Raine and Genis caught up to Lloyd and peeked around his shoulders, and Sheena looked over Genis' shoulder. All four of their jaws dropped simultaneously.

"Oh, hey guys," said Gaar from the other side of the room. He sat on top of a computer console waving. Esileif sat next to him and after looking back and forth a few times, started waving too. Colette turned to look at the new comers and then stood straight, stiff as a board, serene, silent.

Lloyd, Genis, Raine, and Sheena slowly entered the room, surveying the bodies all over the place. At least, they seemed to be all over the place. Small strips of cloth were everywhere, blood and red cloth indistinguishably strewn here and there all over the floor.

"What happened?" asked Genis. Gaar pushed off of the consol and landed on the ground. Then he turned around and helped Esileif down. When Raine finally noticed the computer that they were previously sitting on she skipped and hopped to the consol and immediately started typing madly. A glint of manic glee flashed through her eyes.

"Uh… actually, Colette is what happened," said Gaar. "She is a full angel after all."

"Y-yeah, but, this… this is…" Genis stammered. Then he turned to Colette, standing still in the middle of the hazard zone, and noticed that there was a neat circle of clean, white flooring beneath her. "This is…" Genis said again.

"Yeah, how could Colette do this?" asked Lloyd. "I mean, she was never able to do this before."

"It could be the angel transformation," said Sheena. "Yuan did say that she was a lethal weapon whose only goal is self preservation."

"Yeah," said Genis, "I guess you're right." Lloyd walked over to Colette and looked into her crimson eyes. He took up her hands in his and whispered something to her, but she didn't respond in any way.

"Hahaa!" Everyone jumped when Raine shouted. "I've done it. _This _is the Rheaird hanger by," Raine shouted with glee. She went back to typing and after a few minutes, "There are six of them on standby and ready to go. I'll activate the craft transportation system and have them all here in a few minutes."

Everyone got into a circle around Raine and attempted to look over her shoulders, but nothing they saw on the screen made any sense. Raine continued to type away madly at the computer console until a screen popped up on the monitor. The image of the hallway outside filled the picture, and the lights were coming back on. The image switched again to the ante-room of the Prison Sector where twenty or so Renegades were waiting in front of the hallway door that led to the Rheaird Hanger.

"We've got company on the way," said Raine, pointing at the images on the screen. The Foot Soldiers started filing into the hallway, heading past all the wreckage with ease, moving inexorably toward the hanger. "I'm going to lock down the door, and hopefully buy us some time, but it won't hold them for long," Raine explained as she started typing again. "We should be able to get out of here before they get through."

Just then a circular hatch in the floor opened and the first Rheaird floated up through. Once the craft had cleared the floor, the hatch closed again. The Rheaird floated above the floor, moving to the side of the room, and came to a complete stop next to the wall. The floor hatch opened again, letting another Rheaird through.

"So these are Rheairds," said Lloyd. They all watched the crafts move into the room and line up. When the fifth craft started rising out of the floor hatch, a banging rang through the room. Someone was banging on the door. Lloyd turned from the door and urgently said, "Hurry Professor!"

"Lloyd, I'm going as fast as I can," Raine said through clenched teeth. She typed a few more things into the keyboard, and then stopped. "I've done all that I can do," she said as she walked toward one of the Rheairds floating not far away. As she climbed onto the floating craft she said, "I've disabled the console and attempted to power down the motors in the door. But they're already halfway through the countermeasures I've set up. The only thing to do now is get ready to fly out of here.

"F-f-fly!" shouted Lloyd. "These things fly?"

"And here I thought the wings were a dead giveaway," said Gaar. He sat on one of the Rheairds and was helping Esileif climb up behind him. Lloyd scowled and turned around when the door started to groan. He stood and watched as the white door ever so slowly opened, the motor groaning under the pressure.

"Lloyd!" shouted Sheena. "Hurry up!"

Lloyd turned around and looked for an open Rheaird, but they were all taken. He was about to hop up onto Genis' when he saw the floor hatch opening once more and another Rheaird floating upward. "I'll take this last one," Lloyd said. "You guys hurry up and get out of here. I'm right behind you."

The others nodded and started up their crafts. The wings, which had been folded against the body of the crafts, extended outward to a wingspan of eight feet. Behind each craft was a long tail, underneath which was the exhaust, which doubled as the propulsion. The exhaust ports on all the Rheairds started to glow brighter and brighter. The humming each machine gave off grew louder as the crafts came to full power.

Sheena took off and flew out of a hatch in the wall that Raine opened. Genis wasn't so lucky. He shot out the doorway, gunning the throttle of the flying contraption, and nearly falling off in the process. Colette watched Raine and copied her teacher in an unnervingly mechanical fashion. Gaar watched Raine as well, though he copied her in a more confused manner. Raine slowly lifted higher into the air and tentatively flew out the hatch, Colette right behind her. Gaar paused and looked over to see Lloyd on his own Rheaird, but he wasn't having any luck with the controls. Gaar moved his own craft next to Lloyds and noticed that he hadn't even turned it on.

"Lloyd, press that green switch, then turn the dial next to it all the way until it stops, then pull this lever back and hold ooon-" Gaar pulled the lever back, but just like Genis, he pulled it too suddenly and shot out the hatch. Lloyd watched this happen and then turned back to his own craft. Sweat trickled down his forehead as he waited for the Rheaird to power up.

The anticipation was turned into panic when the door behind him finally opened and the Renegade Foot Soldiers burst into the room. They immediately surrounded Lloyd and readied their weapons against him. Lloyd looked around at all the Renegades and then noticed that the wall hatch was starting to close. He swallowed and without waiting for the Rheaird to fully power up, he pulled the lever all the way back.

For a few moments nothing happened, the Renegades that saw what he tried to do, laughed. That is they laughed until they were blown away from the explosion Lloyd's Rheaird left behind when it shot out of the hanger like a bullet. The exit tunnel that the wall hatch led into was composed of a series of doors. These doors were closing in succession and Lloyd was just barely making it past the next door in the series before it closed behind him.

Lloyd shot out of the last hatch, and out of the Sylvarant Base into the air above the base and the Triet desert. Before he could do anything, the craft below him started to sputter and some of the lights were going haywire. The others were no where to be seen in the sky, that is until the air around him, the very fabric of reality rippled, turned purple, and then Lloyd flew straight into a rift in space.

Ahead of him he now saw all the others flying away from him. Pulled back on the throttle and gripped the handles harder as he sped up. After a few seconds he had to ease the throttle back down, which allowed him to slowly drift up to the back of the group.

"Hey guy's!" Lloyd shouted. The group suddenly spat out of the warped space they were flying through and now rocketed over the landscape of a completely different world. In fact, the air they had been in, bright, hot, and muggy now became dark, cold, and dry. After a few minutes of complete silence, Lloyd shouted, "This is aweso-"

But he was interrupted by the sputtering and slowing of the Rheaird below him. He looked down and noticed one of the gauges had shifted position, it was pointing toward 'F' and now the needle pointed to below the 'E'.

"Whoa!" Lloyd shouted. "Wh… what's happening?" Everyone's Rheairds were acting the same way, and the propulsion light coming from the exhaust below each of the flying crafts was becoming smaller and smaller.

"I don't know," shouted Genis, "it just suddenly-"

"Look!" yelled Raine. "The fuel gauge is empty!"

"So that's it!" Sheena shouted. "Since you've released the seals in Sylvarant, there's not enough mana in this world!"

"And that means?" Genis asked. His Rheaird gave a final sputter and then completely shut down. The rest followed suit.

"We're going to fall!!" Sheena shouted as the craft she was riding dropped out from beneath her.

"Aaaaah!" everyone screamed.

Everyone was screaming except for Colette, who had taken out her angel wings and was using them to guide the quickly descending craft.

"Gaar!" cried Esileif in her distinctive gutteral tone. Gaar turned put an arm protectively around the girl sitting in front of him. She then tried to stand up, but Gaar pushed her back down. She again tried to stand up, and again, Gaar pushed her back down. So she scowled and put her hands together. "Fold!" she shouted. "Mikill fjall! Kosta við fljóta járn fugl!"

Dark brown mana circled around Esileif's hands and after a few seconds, shot toward the mountain top. The Rheairds lazily spun in the air as they and their occupants fell to the Fooji Mountains at break neck speeds. The mountains were now so much closer that it took up almost all of the group's range of vision.

* * *

Well, there you have it. Chapter Twenty. That is the TWENTY chapter, the big two-zero. I didn't think I'd make it thus far, so I am pleased, yes yes. 

**Inri**: _Rolls her eyes._ "I know you can speak proper English."

**Pit**: _Grinning. _"Speak proper English, we do!"

Yes, yes, speak we do, proper English!

**Inri**: _Smacks her forehead in annoyance_. "You're both impossible sometimes."

Review, readers should. Yes? In advance, thank you!


	21. Welcome to Tethe'alla

"I do not own Tales of Symphonia!" – I.K.A. Valian

* * *

Three figures stood on the precipice of a mountain across the great plains of Meltokio from Mount Fooji. Their black clothing stood out against the grey-white granite of the mountain. The three watched a group of six Rheairds fly toward Fooji peak, gaining speed, and apparently on a collision course. 

A quick burst of light brown emanated from the mountain top and suddenly the Rheairds weren't going to fast. Instead of crashing and becoming messy spots on the mountain side, the Rheairds slowed down enough to allow the pilots to jump safely from the crafts as they crashed.

The right most of the three pulled back their black hood to reveal a long ponytail composed of bright red hair intermixed with white lace. The young woman looked back and forth between Fooji peak and the man standing next to her. After a moment of staring into his stony, scarred face, she turned back to face Fooji peak and crossed her arms, confusion etched across her brow.

"Master," said the man on left, "that was Earth magic."

"I know."

"But then-"

"It doesn't matter," said the Master. Each time he moved his mouth to speak, the scars on his face increased the number of folds of skin making him look perpetually agitated. "The only thing that matter's is we now know that weakling, Eliaster, failed his assignment." Silence filled the space between the three comrades.

"Master Sivil, should we attempt to rectify the situation," asked the redhead. Her voice, though sweet and alluring, held poison for those who didn't know better. She continued to stare at Fooji peak, watching with enhanced vision as the people gathered themselves together and talked amongst themselves. "Or perhaps, we will leave them as they are and report back." Her tone of voice intoned the fact that she already knew the correct answer was the second.

"Vishell, you always were good at reading me," said Sivil. He turned and started walking down the mountain path they had used to ascend earlier. "One of these days," he said, "I'm going to have to kill you." The young redhead smiled mischievously and followed in her master's footsteps. "Come Koris, we return to tell tall tales of our defeat at the hands of our enemies."

Koris stood staring at Fooji peak in the distance, watching the wild card in this scheme start to descend. Reluctantly, he turned and followed his master down the mountain path. Anger burned brightly in his hazel irises.

* * *

"How long is it going to take to get to this Meltookio place?" asked Lloyd. He looked at Sheena and nearly tripped on a rock. 

Sheena sighed. "It's Meltokio," she said. "And it would take about a day by E.T., but since we're going by foot," she paused, scratching her chin in thought. "About four days, give or take a few for hunting and such."

"Oh man," whined Lloyd.

"Lloyd, you always get bored easily," said Genis. "But this time, I'm with you. Four days!"

"Genis, stop complaining," Raine admonished. "We'll need all the time we can to get used to Tethe'alla if we want any hope of surviving. And that goes double for you Lloyd, I want you to especially focus on studying the landscape and work on all that math homework that you have backlogged for the past two months."

Snorting and chuckling erupted behind the teacher. Raine turned and stared at Gaar and Genis until they were silent, standing straight, and pale. Esileif's head bobbed on Gaar's shoulder, her hair swayed back and forth due to the uneven nature of the path they were following.

"Gaar," Raine said, continuing to stare at both him and Genis. "I want you and Genis to help Lloyd learn his math." If any color had returned to Genis' face, then it drained away twice as fast. "And I don't want any complaints from you or Lloyd got that." Raine smiled and face forward once more."

Gaar looked at Genis, who was still pale. "What?" he asked. "Is Lloyd that bad at math?" Genis nodded slowly.

"It once took him two weeks to figure out one addition problem," said Genis. "We even had to get Dirk to help out."

"Dirk?" Gaar raise an eyebrow. "Who's that?"

"Dirk is Lloyd's father," said Genis, "he's a dwarf who lives just outside Iselia. We had to ask him to help because he got Lloyd to memorize the Dwarven Vows all the way through."

"How is that an accomplishment?"

"For Lloyd, that is an accomplishment." Genis fell silent for a few moments, and then a mischievous smile formed on his face. "Here," he said, "I'll show you." Genis cleared his throat and then shouted, "Hey Lloyd, what's Dwarven Vow number Three?"

Lloyd automatically responded, "Keep your feet on the ground," without even batting an eye.

"Number six?"

"Face your problems head on."

"Number two?"

"Never abandon someone in need."

"Number one hundred and eight?"

"Let sleeping dogs lie."

"See," said Genis exasperatedly, "he's a Dwarven vow machine."

"Okay," said Gaar. "And that is supposed to impress me?" He adjusted the hold he had on Esileif, bringing an irritated and drowsy moan from the sleeping girl. Gaar watched her until he was satisfied she wasn't waking up.

Genis sighed. "Lloyd," he said. "What's two plus two?"

Lloyd stumbled on an imaginary rock in the ground. "Ahh… Umm…" Genis glanced knowingly at Gaar who was staring incredulously at Lloyd. "Wait," said the swordsman, "I know this one." The silence dragged on, anticipation building until he said, "Oh… Damn, is it Twenty two?"

"Lloyd, the correct answer is four," Raine said matter-of-factly, ignoring the moans of incredulity around her.

"Oh, yeah," said Lloyd, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "I knew that." Lloyd walked on, oblivious to the looks Sheena and Gaar were giving him. The bottom of the mountain path was basically cut into a wall of rock. This cut off all visible surroundings in lieu of a dirty brown rock wall.

The group had to stop, though, when they rounded the last of the giant boulders scattered in front of the mountain path entrance. In front of them, spread out evenly, was a green, lush, wall to mountainous wall valley of tall grass. The sunlight, slanted slightly in mid-afternoon, cast an Elysian glow within the valley. Several mouths dropped open in awe. Sheena crossed her arms and smiled enthusiastically.

"Welcome to Tethe'alla, the flourishing world," she said, gesturing grandly across the entire valley with one arm. Genis, Raine, and Lloyd slowly moved forward, gazing in wonder and awe at the grandeur and the majesty of the vast plains of unfettered greenery. They ran their hands across the top of the tall grass that reached up to their waists.

Gaar settled for staring and quietly saying, "Wow."

"I've always wanted to see the plains of Meltokio in spring," said Sheena as she waded through the sea of grass. "When I left, it was still the middle of winter. Most of this valley was filled with snow drifts higher than our heads." Sheena closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Colette, still as serene and angelic looking as she was several hours before when she unleashed several paperclip exclusive attacks, followed behind Lloyd in her now robotic fashion. He looked back at her sadly. "I bet Colette would love this place," he said.

The euphoria of just moments before vanished. Genis and Raine joined Lloyd and looked at Colette with their grief flashing across their faces. Sheena looked away and started walking at a steady pace toward a distant yellow line that cut through the green.

"Nothing's gonna change that standing around here," said Sheena. "Let's get going." Lloyd nodded absentmindedly, following quickly after Sheena, Colette on his heels. Raine and Genis looked at each other, nodded, and quickly made after Sheena.

Gaar stood in the waist high grass, watching the others walking off toward the distance. He looked at Esileif's sleeping face and asked her, "Am I the only one who thinks that your demon, Genis' curse, and Colette's transformation is connected."

Gaar looked back at the group. Genis was beckoning for Gaar to hurry up, Raine was studying the landscape and writing in her journal, Lloyd was next to Genis waving at Gaar, Sheena held Corrine in her hands while talking to him, and Colette was standing in the middle of the grass looking for the world like an anti-scarecrow.

"Yes," Gaar said, "dark tidings indeed." He ran to catch up to the others, creating his own trail through the tall grass.

* * *

It was night in Tethe'alla. The full moon of Sylvarant shone upon the Fooji Mountains, blanketing the below valley in a soft lunar glow. In the exact spot Gaar was standing in hours earlier, the grass suddenly flattened beneath an invisible square object approximately four feet in width and five feet in length. Facing the valley, the cube slowly materialized into a semi-transparent box, inside of which slept a young girl no older than five years. 

One by one, each side of the box fell down, flattening another section of grass, until the girl was completely exposed to the Tethe'allan night air. The girl's eyes fluttered open and she immediately shot up, looking back and forth across the field. Her clothing, if it could be called that, was in tatters. Holes, fraying, and burn marks were scattered across the dirty pink blouse and light blue trousers she wore. At her hip, an elegantly carved, Ivory and black marble handle stuck out of a large and unique gun holster.

The girl, after checking her surroundings, pulled the gun from its holster and checked it over, opening different compartments, pulling the glowing plasma packs out of the handle and then shoving them back in with a click. Once she was satisfied that the gun was in good working order, she shoved it back into the holster and pulled out a thin metal tube.

The girl pressed a small button on the end of the tube, splitting it in half. She took the two half and pulled them apart, revealing a transparent, holographic computer interface. On the screen were several objects, and one picture frame. The girl tapped the picture frame and the image enlarged until the face of a man in his early twenties floated before the girl.

"Sarah," said the holographic face said. "When you watch to this, you will be the only human left alive. They are, even now, are destroying the facility, our home." A large explosion sounded from the background, causing the man's image to turn around before he quickly faced forward again. With a serene calmness that caused the girl to break into tears, the man said, "You must stop the releasing of Origin's seal, you are our last hope. Goodbye, Sarah. I love you." The image immediately broke off, and the holographic image receded back into the flat panel trembling in the small girls hands.

"I love you too, daddy," Sarah cried. She stood there for a moment, crying tears that fell through the holographic screen. Then she shook her head, wiped her eyes and nose on the back of her sleeve, and pushed the two pieces of the tube back together again. After that, she stood there, sometimes heaving with sobs, but for the most part somber and quiet. Before she disappeared into the Tethe'allan landscape, she whispered, "I will stop them."

* * *

In the dark depths of Cruxis headquarters, Yggdrasil stood gazing intently at the sleeping form of a woman inside of a giant blue flower. The flower floated in its prison of light, bouncing silently and softly off one of the walls every now and again. The leader of Cruxis grinned maliciously.

"Soon," said Yggdrasil, "Very soon, your vessel will be complete, and all will be perfect." He continued to stare at the sleeping woman. Pain was reflected in his eyes, but insanity beamed from his face. "Very soon," he repeated.

* * *

End of Tales of Symphonia: Dark Tidings

To be continued in Tales of Symphonia: Web of Deception

* * *

Yes, I am ending Dark Tidings. But have no fear, Gaar, Esileif, Lloyd, and all the others will return in the sequal out after I'm finished updating my other two stories. I'm going in order for now. So be patient and stuff. Give me a review and let me know what you think of the story so far. It might influence where I take the story, or which characters I put in next. On that, I must add that I am going to be creating a slew of new characters, mostly demons, so any suggestions and all suggestions are welcome. 

And that's it, Thanks for reading Tales of Symphonia: Dark Tidings. It was a blast writing, and I'm sure, you guys had fun reading.

Later


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